Dutch authorities seize 220,000 illegal vapes, 23 million illegal cigarettes
The Dutch authorities have dealt a heavy blow to illegal vaping and smoking in the past two weeks. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has seized nearly 220,000 illegal vapes and over 50,000 boxes of nicotine pouches within a week. And the FIOD has seized 23 million illegal cigarettes.
The illegal vapes and nicotine pouches were found and confiscated at a company in Zuid-Holland and a storage facility in Noord-Brabant. The vapes involved had sweet flavors. Both that and nicotine pouches are banned in the Netherlands. “The vapes and nicotine pouches will be destroyed at the owners’ expense.”
The municipality of Hoeksche Waard asked the NVWA to inspect a company. On May 6, the NVWA discovered three shipping containers filled with vapes and nicotine pouches. The container held a total of 151,400 sweet-flavored vapes and 49,400 boxes of nicotine pouches. These items were seized.
Inspectors also had information that a large batch of illegal vapes was held in a storage unit in Noord-Brabant. Upon checking on Tuesday, May 12, inspectors seized 66,720 illegal vapes and 2,640 boxes of nicotine pouches.
Between April 27 and May 5, the FIOD also busted three containers filled with illegal cigarettes. The cigarettes were seized, and eight suspects were arrested. If these cigarettes had not been intercepted, the Dutch treasury would have lost out on nearly €9 million in excise duties. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is continuing the investigation into the suspects and the criminal networks involved.
