Lapland police seize 164 illegal e-cigarettes over Easter – some suspects underage

Police in Lapland have confiscated 164 illegal e-cigarettes, known as vapes, during Easter enforcement operations, with some of those suspected of involvement being minors, Yle reports.

During field surveillance in Rovaniemi, authorities filed 21 criminal reports related to offences including smuggling, illegal tobacco sales, and minor violations of prohibited imports. A total of 357 e-cigarettes were found to have been sold illegally, with estimated criminal profits ranging from €7,000 to €9,000.

The suspects are aged between 17 and 21, according to Lapland Police. Smuggling charges apply to those who obtained vapes from abroad, carrying potential penalties of fines or up to two years in prison. Selling e-cigarettes to minors constitutes a tobacco sales offence, punishable by up to six months in prison.

Reports indicate that illegal vape sales have become visible even in primary schools in the region. A video interview from December with ninth-grade students at Rovaniemi’s Ylikylä School revealed accounts of vape trading among pupils.