WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. agents recently seized more than 1.4 million illegal e-cigarettes from overseas manufacturers, including the Chinese company behind Elf Bar, a line of fruity disposable vapes that has become the top brand among American teens, officials said Thursday.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the e-cigarettes that were seized at Los Angeles International Airport were estimated to be worth $18 million. The confiscated products included various brands such as Elf Bar, Lost Mary, Funky Republic, and EB Create. The operation was conducted with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

According to authorities, numerous containers were intentionally labeled as toys, shoes, and other household goods in an attempt to avoid customs. An FDA representative stated that the shipment was intercepted in July.

Numerous products from various companies were implicated, including those from iMiracle Shenzhen, maker Elf Bar, and other disposable electronic cigarettes.

This is the initial instance in which officials have openly announced their success in preventing the company from importing its vapes to the U.S., according to official records. The company’s vapes have generated millions of dollars in sales since late 2021. In May, the FDA directed customs officials to seize shipments from iMiracle and other businesses.

The FDA stated that the seized items will probably be demolished.

“The announcement made today by Brian King, the tobacco chief of the FDA, should serve as a warning to those who are brazenly trying to bring illegal e-cigarettes, especially those that target young people, into the country.”

Elf Bar is the most visible of thousands of brands of cheap, disposable e-cigarettes that have poured into the U.S. from China in recent years. Its products come in flavors like strawberry melon and triple berry ice and claim to contain 5,000 “puffs” per device. After the FDA placed the import ban on some of its products, iMiracle rebranded under several new product names, including EB Design.

These items are still easily accessible in convenience stores and vape shops across the United States.

According to federal data, the most recent government survey revealed that 56% of teenagers who use e-cigarettes reported using Elf Bar, which is more than twice the usage rate of any other brand.

A representative from iMiracle did not promptly reply to a inquiry for a statement on Thursday.

___

This article has been updated to clarify that the event occurred in July instead of November and that certain confiscated products were not associated with Elf Bar.

___

The Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute provides support to The Associated Press Health and Science Department. The AP is fully accountable for all of its content.