Croatian customs seize vapes, warn of underage sales

Croatian customs authorities have seized 970 disposable e-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, as part of an operation to combat the illegal import of excise goods.

The operation, conducted by the mobile units of the Ministry of Finance's Customs Administration, focused on postal shipments arriving in Croatia from other European Union member states. The primary goal was to curb the illicit entry and distribution of vape products, particularly single-use e-cigarettes, which are often of Far Eastern origin.

During the inspection, customs officials identified numerous shipments containing vape products that had been imported into another EU country before being dispatched to recipients in Croatia, contravening regulations on the import and trade of excise goods. The Customs Administration took measures to prevent their illegal entry and further distribution within the Croatian market.

As a result of the operation, seven administrative offense orders were issued, resulting in total fines of 4,350 euros. Additionally, charges were filed against four individuals with municipal courts specializing in youth matters. The calculated excise duty amounted to 5,915 euros.

Authorities expressed particular concern over the findings, which indicated that a significant portion of the intercepted shipments were ordered by minors and young adults. Evidence suggests these products were not solely for personal use but were intended for resale to other minors. This trend of informal sales of vape products among children and youth, outside regulated channels and without oversight, raises serious health risks due to the unknown origin and composition of many of these products.