Advertisement
Advertise with us
sidenav

Customs Seizes 77,000 Illegal Rick and Morty Vapes

Advertisement
Advertise with us

Customs officials on Tuesday seized 77,400 vaping devices branded with names and images from the popular Rick and Morty cartoon. The products were found during inspections at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, and were destined for a Georgia distributor.

While examining two shipments of 258 boxes from Shenzhen, China, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers “found popular cartoon characters on the vape pen packaging and suspected the vape pens violated copyright and trademark laws,” according to a CBP press release. The agency then contacted Warner Bros. Entertainment to verify that the company’s copyright was being infringed by the Chinese products.

“Often CBP seizes vape pens because they violate FDA guidelines, but these parcels violate copyright laws which adds to the charges and complexity of the case,” said Area Port Director Shane Campbell. “Counterfeit products are unsafe for consumers, harm the economy, damage the revenue and image of the companies, and could cost American jobs.”

Customs officials seem to believe there is such a thing as legitimate Rick and Morty vapes. In their statement, CBP says, “If the pens were real, the MSRP for the pens would have been worth $1.55 million.”

Of course, there are no “real” Rick and Morty vape pens. The devices are novelty products meant to cash in on two pop culture hits: disposable vapes and the popular Adult Swim cartoon Rick and Morty. Both are aimed at a college-aged demographic, and are typically sold online, in convenience stores, and even in some vape shops.

A Google search shows dozens of fly-by-night websites that sell the cartoon vapes at both wholesale and retail, along with other disposables and aftermarket pods for popular vapes like the JUUL. Product appearance varies by seller, and the marketing material often includes misspelled words (see images). While new shipping restrictions imposed by Congress will destroy or damage much of the legitimate vaping industry, these companies will probably continue to sell illegal products and ship them in violation of the PACT Act.

Customs has had its hands full policing imports of illegal vaping products since the FDA’s early 2020 crackdown on flavored pod- and cartridge-based vapes. Each time the FDA and other agencies take action against legal products like JUUL, gray market devices like Puff Bar and various no-name disposable vapes and “JUUL-compatible” pods appear to fill the gap.

In January, customs inspectors at O’Hare seized 50,000 vaping devices. Last October, CBP officials seized 86,000 disposable vapes in Allentown, Pennsylvania. And between June and August last year, customs agents in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh seized 48 separate shipments of illegal vaping products—all pods or disposables.

Featured image courtesy YouTube.

Advertisement
Advertise with us
Latest Reviews
Article preview image
Freemax REXA PRO & REXA SMART Review: Too Smart?

The Freemax REXA PRO and REXA SMART are highly advanced pod vapes, offering seemingly endless features, beautiful touchscreens, and new DUOMAX pods.

Wed Jul 30 2025
Article preview image
OXVA XLIM Pro 2 DNA Review: A Match Made in Heaven!

The OXVA XLIM Pro 2 DNA is powered by a custom-made Evolv DNA chipset, offering a Replay function and dry hit protection. Read our review to find out more.

Fri Jul 18 2025
Article preview image
SKE Bar Review: A Reusable Crystal Bar!

The SKE Bar is a 2 mL replaceable pod vape with a 500 mAh battery, a 1.2-ohm mesh coil, and 35 flavors to choose from in 2% nicotine.

Mon Jul 7 2025
Advertisement
Advertise with us
Latest Learn
vaping taxes
Vaping Taxes in the United States and Around the World

Because of declining cigarette sales, state governments in the U.S. and countries around the world are looking to vapor products as a new source of tax revenue.

Thu Jul 31 2025
How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape?
How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape?

The legal age to buy e-cigarettes and other vaping products varies around the world. The United States recently changed the legal minimum sales age to 21.

Tue Jul 1 2025
Where vaping is banned or restricted
Vape Bans: E-Cigarette Restrictions in the U.S. and Worldwide

A list of vaping product flavor bans and online sales bans in the United States, and sales and possession bans in other countries.

Fri Jul 4 2025
About Authors
Jim McDonald
846 posts

Smokers created vaping for themselves without help from the tobacco industry or anti-tobacco crusaders, and I believe vapers and the vaping industry have the right to continue innovating to give everyone who wants to use nicotine access to safe and attractive non-combustible options. My goal is to provide clear, honest information about vaping and the challenges nicotine consumers face from lawmakers, regulators, and brokers of disinformation. You can find me on Twitter @whycherrywhy

See author’s profile
Vaping360.com strives to be the world's most trusted resource for vapers and smokers. We take pride in our editorial integrity, accuracy, and the honesty of our writers.
Read more about us

Rely on Our Expertise

At Vaping360, we take pride in our deep expertise and years of experience in the vaping industry. Our dedicated team of professionals is committed to leveraging their extensive knowledge to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.

Authenticity

Genuine insights backed by thorough and exhaustive research and testing.

Reliability

Consistent, accurate information from the vaping industry experts.

Empowerment

Transparent and reliable content for confident and informed decision-making.

About us

Our mission is clear: to help people who smoke transition to low-risk alternatives and contribute to a smoke-free world. With each article we publish and each review we conduct, we're working towards this goal.

about-us-banner
product preview