Key Points
- U.S. seizes 18 million illegal vapes;
- Operation targets China-origin shipments;
- Products valued at over $175 million;
- All seized products lacked FDA authorization.
- Release date coincided with Trump’s Beijing arrival.
2Firsts
May 13, 2026
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency, together with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seized more than 18 million e-cigarette products valued at over $175 million during “Operation Red Mist.”
CBP said the operation primarily targeted maritime vape cargo shipments originating from China and focused on combating the illicit importation, transportation, and distribution of vaping products and related hazardous components.
Authorities said the enforcement effort involved intelligence analysis, cargo targeting, and interagency coordination across multiple stages of the supply chain, including pre-shipment screening, port-of-entry inspections, and post-seizure investigations.
During the operation, investigators identified shipments involving hazardous material misclassification, improper labeling, and attempts to evade taxes, duties, and regulatory oversight.
CBP said some products also violated U.S. import requirements for tobacco products, transportation safety standards for electronic devices, and environmental protection regulations.
The FDA stated that all e-cigarette products seized during Operation Red Mist lacked FDA premarket authorization and therefore could not be legally marketed in the United States.
According to FDA data, only 41 vaping products are currently authorized for legal sale in the U.S.
Diane J. Sabatino, Executive Assistant Commissioner for CBP’s Office of Field Operations, said:
“The spread of illegal e-cigarettes is alarming for communities everywhere.”
She added that frontline officers are working to prevent such products from entering the market, particularly to keep them away from young consumers.
CBP said the operation forms part of a broader federal crackdown on illegal vaping products aimed at preventing unsafe devices from reaching U.S. communities and retail shelves.
The agency also noted that revenue generated from counterfeit and noncompliant imports is often linked to broader criminal activities.
Public information shows CBP enforces more than 400 laws on behalf of over 40 federal agencies, with trade enforcement responsibilities covering import safety, intellectual property protection, and hazardous goods oversight.
Timing, Code Name and FDA Authorization Count
The announcement also contains several timing and wording details. CBP listed both the release date and the last-modified date as May 13, 2026. The release identified the initiative by its code name, “Operation Red Mist,” and stated: “Operation Red Mist primarily targets maritime cargo shipments originating from the People’s Republic of China and is designed to combat the illicit importation, transportation, and distribution of vapes and their hazardous components.”
CBP’s release also stated that “only 41 FDA-authorized products are permitted for U.S. marketing and distribution,” linking to FDA’s page for authorized e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems. FDA had announced on May 5, 2026, that it authorized four Glas ENDS products through the PMTA pathway. Including those products, the number of FDA-authorized e-cigarette products would be 45.
The discrepancy suggests that CBP’s May 13 release used an authorization count that did not reflect FDA’s May 5, 2026 authorization of four Glas ENDS products. One possibility is that CBP did not update the figure when drafting or publishing the release. Another is that the text had been written and cleared for publication before FDA authorized the Glas products on May 5, and was later published on May 13 without the authorization count being updated. CBP did not disclose when the release was drafted, approved or scheduled for publication.
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（Cover Image source: CBP official news page）
