Senate Republicans Warn Illegal Vapes Sold in US Could Be Used to Fund CCP

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A group of Republican senators has called on the Trump administration to combat illicit Chinese e-cigarettes, as they express concern that the revenue generated from these illegal shipments could be used to support the communist regime.

In a Feb. 3 letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the 16 Republicans highlighted the national security risks posed by the influx of illegal e-cigarettes made in China.

“The Chinese Communist Party, through China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA), exports hundreds of millions of illegal e-cigarettes to the United States each year, flooding the domestic market, and generating billions of dollars in revenue,” according to the letter, which was released by Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.).

“The proceeds generated by STMA may be helping to fund military or technological initiatives designed to undermine American economic and strategic interests.”

The senators also raised concerns about the growing popularity of “highly sophisticated” smart vapes that can connect to smartphones.

“These devices have the capacity to initiate data breaches or malware infections and can also access and collect sensitive user data,” they wrote.

With the deep ties between Chinese companies and state intelligence services, the senators warned that if U.S. military personnel were targeted by these smart vapes, it could pose profound implications for American national security.

In one operation last year, federal authorities confiscated 4.7 million unauthorized e-cigarette units valued at approximately $86.5 million, making it the largest seizure on record, according to HHS.

Nearly all illegal shipments uncovered during the operation originated in China and included vague and misleading descriptions as well as incorrect values to evade customs duties and safety reviews, according to the agency.

In the letter, the senators cautioned that the illegal vape trade could also facilitate money laundering.

“Federal agencies have also linked Chinese manufacturers to Mexican cartels and money laundering operations,” they wrote. “Earlier this year, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reported that illicit Chinese e-cigarettes are being used as part of a trade-based money laundering scheme to move fentanyl proceeds on behalf of Mexican cartels.”

The lawmakers called on the Treasury Department and the U.S. Trade Representative to use their respective enforcement tools and diplomatic channels to curb the flow of illegal e-cigarettes from China.

“Whether tackling money laundering operations via FinCEN or negotiating directly with Chinese leaders to prevent future shipments of illegal e-cigarettes, your leadership is necessary to help curtail this growing security risk,” wrote the lawmakers, including Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.).

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, also signed the letter.

“Communist China is waging a war on Americans by flooding our market with dangerous products, specifically targeting children,” Cotton wrote on X.

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