Shipment Seized By Chinese Customs?

[Brian]

I heard that madvapes had a shipment seized by Chinese customs. Why would Chinese customs sieze a shipment? Any other suppliers had this happen?

[Christopher]

Yes. Things are starting to get tough on both sides. (I don't think people realize how serious things are getting) We had a liquid shipment taken in Hong Kong recently. Electronic Cigarettes are not only just illegal in Hong Kong but now all of China. The Chinese government has placed a permanent ban on the selling or creation of electronic cigarettes country wide.

[Tektronik]

Yes. Things are starting to get tough on both sides. (I don't think people realize how serious things are getting) We had a liquid shipment taken in Hong Kong recently. Electronic Cigarettes are not only just illegal in Hong Kong but now all of China. The Chinese government has placed a permanent ban on the selling or creation of electronic cigarettes country wide.

Huh? Not quite sure I understand. Doesn't everything come out of China? So, no starter kits anymore? Where is Janty from? So all we have now is American products?

[Brian]

Holly ! I had no idea. Guess I better get some more orders made.

[Kragax]

Yes. Things are starting to get tough on both sides. (I don't think people realize how serious things are getting) We had a liquid shipment taken in Hong Kong recently. Electronic Cigarettes are not only just illegal in Hong Kong but now all of China. The Chinese government has placed a permanent ban on the selling or creation of electronic cigarettes country wide.

But any idea why?

[StringDancer]

So why don't Chinese manufacturers just come to the states and make the things over here?

Edited May 21, 2010 by StringDancer

[nana]

I'm getting pretty well stocked up, but this is still scary. I don't know that I could be stocked up enough to feel safe.

[stormchas3r]

[ddavelarsen]

This is freakin ludicrous! What the hell is going on?! These governments are hell bent to kill us! Really, this is beyond sensible.

But I'm sure the right grease in the right palms will make ecigs available from China. It's just gonna be customs that gets in the way. Sounds like prices are going to quadruple because of the multiple orders suppliers will have to make to get one to get through. But get through some will.

This is stupid; stupid like DRM. Stupid like prohibition. People are going to do what they need to stay sane and feel alive, and no government can control human nature to an extent like this. It's just asinine.

[Christopher]

Sorry for the delay.

China cannot bring their factories here, the FDA would shut them down in a heart beat! If it was that easy suppliers would have opened factories here months ago. The ONLY reason members are able to purchase an electronic cigarette is because they FDA at the moment has not laid down the major hammer yet. Suppliers use all types of tricks to bring product into the country. But once this lawsuit with the FDA and SE is over things could get really bad.

And for those of you asking yes almost every atomizer and electronic cigarette kit comes from China. How are they doing it? Well that's something only a few supplier know. It's much more complicated than you'd think.

Remember the delays that happened right before Chinese New Year? This wasn't because suppliers had a boost in sales it was because the factories in China didn't "pay up" They often need to pay off officials in order to make sure our product passes customs on the international side. Suppliers sometimes have to pay extra to make sure their shipment is released. This is the reason larger suppliers charge higher prices. [Larger shipments more likely to become sized] They're not trying to over price products it's harder for them to bring product in.

Believe me if this ever goes under I could write a book on the amount of crap that goes on behind the scenes all of which most members are oblivious of. Most suppliers don't want the members/customers to freak so we take on all the pressure and stress. As for the smaller suppliers they have yet to deal with the issues yet but much of this is starting to leak out.

I may write a blog and explain the process. It's not only interesting but an eye opener.

We also have the Expo going on in China this is causing problems as well.

[RustyVape]

Electronic Cigarettes are not only just illegal in Hong Kong but now all of China. The Chinese government has placed a permanent ban on the selling or creation of electronic cigarettes country wide.

With all due respect, I call BS. There is no news of this. I received a China shipment 2 days ago and have another that has just departed China today. Do you have any proof of this?

Edit Your last post did not show up before my post. I understand that there is a lot of pay-offs going on in China, but to say that ecig are illegal, in all of China, like they are in Hong Kong, has got to be incorrect.

[Christopher]

With all due respect, I call BS. There is no news of this. I received a China shipment 2 days ago and have another that has just departed China today. Do you have any proof of this?

Call BS all you want this is nothing new. (Why would I lie?) Shipments are STILL clearing customs and fact we just had a shipment clear but with the International Expo it's becoming tougher. Ask any of your contacts in China if electronic cigarettes are legal and they'll tell you no. (If they're honest) I learned most of this working with Janty. You have to remember China doesn't enforce laws as extreme as we do.

Some contacts will state "oh there is a delay in customs" but in fact large shipments are pulled in China all the time but usually they are 10x easier to get released in than in the states. If your a large enough customer contact in China are up front about it.

As for the law I'll see if I can get a copy for everyone. This isn't a secret.

EDIT: Oh and by the way do you ever notice your liquid come in different colors? Most supplier don't know why this happens. They assume it's because the factory is inconstant. It's not, most liquid factories are broken into multiple locations. Each location makes the liquid a little different. When you order from a Chinese contact they send the order out to one of their sub factories. You might also notice the factory name change on the customs forms they change their company names all the time.

Also how big are your shipments? I assume quite small.

[ddavelarsen]

I sure don't doubt it's real. Governments are just doing a shake-down. They want their cut like pharma and tobacco do. Stupid analog businesses just don't know how to take advantage of the digital world. It's true in music, it's true in publishing, it's true in movies. The establishment (oh, we used that word with disrespect in the 70s!) just does not understand how to move sideways. What happens in reality though, is it ends up a diagonal path and everyone gets satisfied. Eventually. The trip getting there though is a big fat MF. Some day we'll see the end of prohibition too, I just may not live to see it. But it's bound to happen because reality is bigger than everybody. Trying to change reality is like pushing a rope up a mountain. Businesses try that every day; it just costs them time and money. Governments try that every day; it just makes them look stupid and the smart voters eventually get their way and vote the stupidest bureaucrats out. Unfortunately there's always plenty of stupid and inertia to drag things far beyond their logical conclusion.

The sane response to this is to acquire as large an inventory of critical products as possible. I'm glad I have my nic now; attys are next, and then connectors. I'm not going to take up analogs again until they make me. You guys in denial can go ahead and get ready to smoke or quit nicotine. Your choice. Just realize that eventually vaping will see its worth, and when all the big players have figured out how to get their cut, it'll all be okay again. Trust me. It's just about money.

[Christopher]

Yea I agree it will always be about the money. I dont't think we need to run and stock up yet but it's still an up hill battle that we need to keep a close eye on.

[GDub]

I definitely need about 20-30 more atomizers I think. I spent some time looking into rebuilding them, and while I know I can do it I'd rather avoid it as long as possible.

[Sivlar]

I work in an international development company and we have a lot of folks in China. I can tell you E-Cigs are not illegal in mainland China, they are a dime a dozen and can be bought at virtually any market or mall.

They are however, illegal in Hong Kong. This is because Hong Kong runs on economic and political systems different from those of mainland China. So if your shipment was being routed through Hong Kong, it would be siezed.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Sivlar

[Christopher]

And at that 90% of electronic cigarette shipments are via HK EMS. If ecigs are still legal I apologies for the error (It was the owner of Janty International that passed on the info) But regardless it still doesn't change the seriousness of customs seizures.

[Lee]

I didn't realize when I started vaping I was becoming a revolutionary. This just makes no sense to me at all. But then again, most of life is becoming more confusing by the day.

[VaporAssassin]

Holly ! I had no idea. Guess I better get some more orders made.

you took the many words right out of my mouth!

[Kragax]

This just makes no sense to me at all. But then again, most of life is becoming more confusing by the day.

The older I get, the more true that statement rings.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Kragax

[Snik]

The response I got from a supplier:

"that is a bunch of poo.

.....I am a supplier.

It was held by customs, I doubt it was confiscated.

For whatever reason they are holding the package, it is not illegal to manufacture these in China, or anywhere else for that matter. We could do it here if somebody had enough money.

It is the liquid that is potentially hazardous, not the e-cig."

[VaporAssassin]

The response I got from a supplier:

"that is a bunch of poo.

.....I am a supplier.

It was held by customs, I doubt it was confiscated.

For whatever reason they are holding the package, it is not illegal to manufacture these in China, or anywhere else for that matter. We could do it here if somebody had enough money.

It is the liquid that is potentially hazardous, not the e-cig."

Ya they can hold it!! However, that does not mean they will ever let it go!