Global trade data indicate that Chinese manufacturers have been drastically increasing the volume of illegal vapes imported to the United States in recent months. To counter this, U.S. authorities have intensified their enforcement efforts by raiding warehouses, cracking down on smoke shops, and blocking illicit shipments at ports.

Illegal vape shipments originating in China have risen steadily from a low point of 2.2 million kilograms of product in June of this year to nearly 15 million kilograms as of October, according to Chinese trade data. In concert with the uptick in Chinese exports, the Food and Drug Administration told the Washington Examiner that it undertook an “exponential” increase in import refusals of tobacco products during fiscal 2025.