The Ministry Of Internal Affairs Of Kazakhstan Seized 26,000 Illegal E-cigarettes With Brand Logos Such As ELFBAR And WAKA

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan seized 26,000 illegal e-cigarettes with brand logos such as "ELFBAR" and "WAKA"

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan seized 26,000 e-cigarettes. From the video released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it can be seen that some of the seized products have brand logos such as "WAKA" and "ELFBAR".

According to Polisia.KZ on December 5, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan (МВД) seized and confiscated more than 7 tons of alcoholic products without legal documents during a three-day special operation to combat the illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco (containing nicotine) products. Nearly 160,000 packs of illegal cigarettes, more than 26,000 e-cigarettes, 34,000 cartridges, 35,000 oil products and more than 1,000 snus were seized. From the video released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it can be seen that some of the seized products have brand logos such as "WAKA" and "ELFBAR".

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan seized more than 26,000 e-cigarettes. Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan (Ведомственный сайт Министерства внутренних дел РК)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan seized more than 26,000 e-cigarettes Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan (Ведомственный сайт Министерства внутренних дел РК)

The operation has launched 17 criminal pre-trial investigations, 18 administrative cases, and handed over 35 materials to financial monitoring agencies and the State Revenue Committee.

In the city of Pavlodar, law enforcement officers discovered a warehouse storing a large number of illegal e-cigarettes, accessories and their e-liquids. A total of 3,500 e-cigarettes, 10,000 e-cigarette accessories and 3,700 e-liquids were seized, with a total value of 150 million tenge (US$290,000).

Kuandyk Alpysyn, a representative of the Anti-Organized Crime Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said that the crackdown on illegal trade and underground production of alcohol and tobacco products is still continuing.