The Russian Police Seized A Batch Of Illegally Smuggled Electronic Cigarettes, With The Total Value Of The Case Amounting To 1 Billion Rubles.

In the Khakas Republic of Russia, the police seized a large quantity of illegally circulated electronic cigarettes, including over 45,000 single-use electronic cigarettes, over 200 boxes of nicotine-containing e-liquid, and 600 packs of snuff. The preliminary estimate of the value of this illegal cargo is 40 million rubles. Currently, the total amount involved may have reached 1 billion rubles (approximately 89.5 million yuan).
According to the Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Interior Ministry of Abakan City, the single-use electronic cigarettes seized this time were mainly of the WAKA brand, and other brands were also involved. The police representative said: "The quantity seized was extremely large, and three trucks were used to complete the transportation."
In response to the situation of illegally circulating a large number of nicotine-containing products that did not meet legal requirements, the Economic Security Bureau of the Interior Ministry of the Khakas Republic and the Abakan City Police Department jointly took action, detaining 7 members of the criminal gang. Criminal proceedings have been initiated under Article 171.1 of the Russian Federal Criminal Code (illegal circulation of unmarked products), which can result in a maximum sentence of six years in prison.
This operation also seized electronic devices, counterfeit label printing equipment, five vehicles, financial operation documents, and other physical evidence. The illegal products have been sent to experts for appraisal, to test the nicotine content and whether there are prohibited components.
It is known that these unmarked goods were smuggled into the country under the guise of plush toys and household appliances from East Asia. To legalize them, the involved individuals forged labels, used Telegram channels to attract customers, and utilized logistics companies to send large quantities of goods to the Khakas and other residential areas in Russia. The police conducted surprise searches of the suspects' residences, warehouses, and office locations with the assistance of the National Guard.

After discovering the illegal product warehouse, the law enforcement officers conducted a large-scale inspection of the sales outlets in the area, focusing on seizing illegal electronic cigarettes and related e-liquids under the WAKA brand. Currently, the investigation scope has expanded to other regions across the country where illegal supplies might exist.
The latest progress shows that a small chain retail warehouse in Moscow was found to have 15,000 or more illegal electronic cigarettes, which are suspected to be linked to the supply channel of Khakas. The related products are under testing, and the authorities plan to file a criminal lawsuit under Article 194 of the Russian Federal Criminal Code (Smuggling).