Special Report-China e-cigarette titan behind 'Elf Bar' floods the U.S. with illegal vapes

A new breed of e-cigarette has addicted teenagers and confounded regulators worldwide by offering flavors like Blue Cotton Candy and Pink Lemonade in a cheap, disposable package. The tycoon dominating this latest wave is Zhang Shengwei, 50, a veteran of China’s vape industry in the southern manufacturing hub of Shenzhen. Zhang quietly rose over 15 years from a boutique exporter to become one of the world’s largest vape manufacturers.

Related Keywords

Shanghai ,China ,Chicago ,Illinois ,United States ,Sydney ,New South Wales ,Australia ,Shenzhen ,Guangdong ,Beijing ,White House ,District Of Columbia ,United Kingdom ,Hungary ,Chinese ,American ,British ,Mitch Zeller ,Brian King ,Brian Thevenot ,Los Angeles ,David Kirton ,Oliver Kershaw ,Vanessa Oconnell ,Becky Freeman ,Matthew Myers ,Jacques Li ,Geoff Fong ,Tibor Demjen ,Chris Kirkham ,Zhang Shengwei ,Hazel Cheeseman ,Kurt Ribisl ,Keagan Lenihan ,Shenzhen Youme Technology ,Us Centers For Disease ,Juul Labs Inc ,Philip Morris International ,British American Tobacco ,Tobacco Monopoly Administration ,Shenzhen Imiracle Technology ,China National Tobacco ,York Stock Exchange ,University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill ,New York Stock Exchange ,Supreme Plc ,Drug Administration ,European Union ,University Of Sydney ,Euromonitor International ,Us Justice Department ,Campaign For Tobacco ,British American Tobacco Plc ,Reuters ,China National Tobacco Corp ,Administration Of Customs ,Blue Cotton Candy ,Pink Lemonade ,Heaven Gifts ,Elf Bar ,National Tobacco Corp ,National Tobacco ,State Tobacco Monopoly Administration ,General Administration ,Tobacco Products ,Disease Control ,Tobacco Free Kids ,New York Stock ,Vuse Alto ,Heaven Gift ,Lemon Drop ,Tropical Rainbow Blast ,Shenzhen Youme ,Vape Valley ,European Elf Bar ,Lost Mary ,President Donald Trump ,North Carolina ,Vanessao Connell ,Fda ,Cigarette Smokers ,