On December 19th, a reliable source within the e-cigarette logistics industry informed 2FIRSTS that the port of Chicago in the United States is currently conducting strict inspections on e-cigarette freight agents. So far, they have confiscated hundreds of tons of e-cigarettes.
According to a knowledgeable source, the inspection operation began on December 15th and is currently ongoing, with multiple e-cigarette freight forwarding companies reportedly being inspected.
2FIRSTS subsequently consulted a logistics provider engaged in the transportation of American e-cigarette shipments, who confirmed the situation and stated, “All companies listed in the FDA import alert have fallen victim to it.
According to reports, the import alert list, which includes several Chinese e-cigarette brands, was released by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 17.
Furthermore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on December 15th that it had collaborated with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to seize approximately 1.4 million unauthorized e-cigarette products at the Los Angeles port. These products have a total value exceeding $18 million.
Regarding the Port of Chicago:
Prior to this, 2FIRSTS compiled and analyzed the import ratios of e-cigarettes in the top five ports in the United States, based on data released by the US International Trade Commission.
According to statistics, Chicago serves as the largest hub for e-cigarettes in the United States, with more than 50% of these products entering the country through this city. They then radiate to the entire Great Lakes region, supplying the markets in the eastern and central parts of the United States.
