South African law enforcement agencies work with ELFBAR to seize more than 3,600 counterfeit e-cigarettes

South African law enforcement agencies work with ELFBAR to seize more than 3,600 counterfeit e-cigarettes

South African law enforcement agencies worked with the e-cigarette brand ELFBAR to seize about 3,600 counterfeit and inferior e-cigarettes with potential health risks, including a variety of outdated models such as CR5000, BC5000 and EB1500.

According to PR Newswire on August 14, the e-cigarette brand ELFBAR, in cooperation with South African law enforcement agencies, seized about 3,600 counterfeit and inferior e-cigarettes with potential health risks, including a variety of outdated models such as CR5000, BC5000 and EB1500.

It is reported that the raids were carried out simultaneously in Johannesburg and Cape Town in July, and the operations were carried out with the support of search warrants. The police said that more criminal charges will be brought against offenders, usually fines, but in serious cases, imprisonment may be imposed.

In these two cities, ELFBAR sent warning letters to more than 15 stores, 13 of which have signed a commitment to stop selling infringing products. The stores also handed over a total of 1,100 counterfeit ELFBAR e-cigarettes, which are planned to be gradually destroyed in the established process. ELFBAR and the Police Service are committed to continuing to combat counterfeit e-cigarettes, which pose a huge health risk to adult users and have a negative impact on business.

Lauren Huang, General Manager of ELFBAR Middle East and Africa, said:

"Counterfeit products jeopardize our and the entire industry's efforts to reduce harm through innovation. These counterfeit e-cigarettes contain unknown and untested substances, posing serious health risks to adult smokers and ex-smokers."

ELFBAR revealed its efforts to control the spread of illegal e-cigarettes, which include but are not limited to actively working with global regulators, advocating strong enforcement actions, taking trademark infringements to court, shutting down businesses in the counterfeit manufacturing chain, scanning and discovering counterfeits in retail channels, participating in retail organizations, and conducting public awareness campaigns. It is reported that since mid-2021, ELFBAR has worked with global regulators to shut down more than 220 businesses involved in counterfeit products, including manufacturers. This number is still growing as global activities escalate.

In addition, ELFBAR calls on users around the world to recognize the dangers of counterfeit products. Simple steps such as purchasing from official channels and verifying product authenticity can significantly reduce the risk. Adult users can identify counterfeit products by scanning the verification code and paying attention to various details on the product packaging, including brand name, product name, batch number, manufacturer information and logo.