#London #UK #ELFBAR #LOST MARY #Counterfeit Vapes

The Ongoing Battle Against Counterfeit Vapes

In an age where counterfeit products pose a significant risk to consumers, ELFBAR and LOST MARY have taken a stand to safeguard their brand integrity and protect users from harm. On April 24, 2025, both brands announced major milestones in their anti-counterfeit campaign, emphasizing their initiative to combat intellectual property violations and ensuring a safe vaping experience for adult users.

Victor Xiao, Global Vice President of both ELFBAR and LOST MARY, stated, "Defending our intellectual property rights goes beyond protecting our brands. It is also the industry's duty to protect users from counterfeit and imitation vapes." This sentiment was echoed as they prepare for World Intellectual Property Day on April 26.

Recent Achievements in Combatting Fakes

The brands have escalated their global collaboration with enforcement agencies since launching their initiative in September 2022. Recent operations have led to the confiscation of around 50,000 infringing products across various retail locations in countries such as the Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, and the UAE.

In one notable operation, over 30 retailers in Germany and the Czech Republic were found selling counterfeit ELFBAR products tailored specifically for the German market. This successful investigation highlights the extensive cooperation between the brands and law enforcement agencies and showcases the alarming level of intellectual property violations in the vape sector.

Legal Measures Taken

Both ELFBAR and LOST MARY have also ramped up their legal efforts against counterfeiting, filing more than 30 trademark infringement lawsuits in various markets including China, Germany, and Russia since 2024. A recent ruling from a local court in Munich favored ELFBAR, declaring that the use of 'ELFPRO' by a local company infringed on the 'ELFBAR' trademark, demonstrating the brands' commitment to defending their rights.

Additionally, both brands have successfully resolved 119 domain name disputes through arbitration, and taken down nearly 300 infringing web links globally, including two counterfeit websites and eight links in the USA selling infringing products.

Continued Fight Against Counterfeit Supply Chains

Since the launch of their anti-counterfeiting campaign in June 2021, both brands have been actively working with global authorities to dismantle counterfeit supply chains. In 2024, they supported law enforcement in closing down 15 clone factories, seizing over 90,000 counterfeit vapes from ELFBAR and LOST MARY. Their strategy effectively disrupts counterfeit operations from the suppliers through to the retailers, ensuring comprehensive measures against such illegal practices.

In a significant raid in Vietnam in June 2024, over 160,000 vapes, including tens of thousands of counterfeit LOST MARY products, were seized thanks to the collaboration between the brands and law enforcement.

Victor Xiao emphasized the priority of user safety, stating, "While intellectual property rights are important, the well-being of our adult users when choosing products should come first. We will continue to work with global authorities to combat the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of illegal products, particularly counterfeit vapes.”

About ELFBAR and LOST MARY

Founded in 2018, ELFBAR has rapidly become a pioneer in the global vaping industry, focusing on innovative and diverse vaping experiences. The brand is committed to preventing youth access and ensuring sustainable growth as a market leader preferred by millions of adult smokers and ex-smokers worldwide. For more information, visit elfbar.com.

LOST MARY, a global innovator in vaping, aims to discover the value of vaping while setting trends and standards for quality. Currently present in over 50 markets worldwide, the brand has over 200 patents. Learn more at lostmary.com.