Police in Nassau and Orange counties seized over 28,000 pounds of illicit vapor products from a Buffalo-area distributor called Ecto World, one of the largest vaping and e-cigarette distributors in the country, state officials announced on Thursday, March 19.
The seizure stopped over 14 tons of illegal vapes from being distributed, most of which were headed to Nassau County, and followed a three-month investigation into wholesale vape distribution across the state.
The investigation found that Ecto World, which is also known as Demand Vape, has been illegally shipping large quantities of vape products to sub-distributors and unlicensed retail shops across the state, state officials said.
The sub-distributors and unlicensed retail shops fall outside the narrow categories of businesses to which distributors may ship vapor products within the state, officials said.
Shipments totaling more than 26,000 pounds, 25 pallets and more than 570 boxes of illicit vapor products were intercepted and seized through coordination with the Nassau County Police Department, with support from the Nassau County Department of Health. A shipment totaling about 2,761 pounds, two pallets and more than 60 boxes was seized through coordination with the Town of Montgomery Police Department, with support from the Orange County Department of Health, state officials said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul called the seizure a “major victory,” saying it sends a message that the state will not tolerate illegal operations and that it cares about public safety.
“Illicit vape products pose serious risks to the health of New Yorkers, especially our youth,” she said in a statement.
“This significant seizure displays the department’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of all New Yorkers, particularly our young people, who are most at risk from these dangerous products,” State Health Commissioner James McDonald said in a statement.
Ecto World and its owner are expected to be criminally charged through the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, state officials said.
Nassau County legislators voted in 2019 to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarette, vaping and nicotine products.
Last year, state Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against 13 manufacturers and distributors, accusing them of illegally distributing products targeting children. Ecto World was one of the companies named in the suit.
