On August 25, Shenzhen Dapeng Customs seized a batch of electronic cigarette vaporizers suspected of infringing on the patents of “electronic cigarette vaporizer (TH210)” and “electronic cigarette vaporizer (M6Y10)” in export shipping channels.
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The infringing electronic cigarette vaporizer seized by customs officers.
It is understood that a Shenzhen technology company declared to Dapeng Customs to export two batches of electronic cigarette vaporizers, and customs inspections found that the goods were suspected of infringement. Confirmed by the right holder, the batch of goods suspected of infringing on the patent right of the “electronic cigarette atomizer (TH210)” is about 360,000 atomizers, valued at more than 9.4 million yuan; 488,000 cigarette holders, valued at more than 2.4 million yuan. The total number of atomizers suspected of infringing on the patent of “Electronic Cigarette (M6Y10)” was 72,000, valued at more than RMB 9.4 million; cigarette holders were 226,800, valued at more than RMB 560,000.
Currently, the customs is handling the detention procedures for the above-mentioned suspected infringing goods.
I’m new here, but actually, I know a little bit about this seizure that involves the AVD brand. I know this because we are the company that created the supply chain and manufacturing SOP’s for AVD in Shenzhen. We are also the brand owner of AVD and licensed distribution rights to Next Level Ventures, LLC (DBA: AVD).
The seizure was due to CCELL’s concern about AVD continuing to take market share. BOTH Smoore and Vaplax/Naixing (Our contracted factories - No, AVD does NOT own their factory) were awarded design patents for the products in dispute. China’s patent filing strategy is quite archaic and patents can be awarded in as little as 30 days. However, that also means that patents can easily be revoked. Smoore will likely invalidate the patents by our contracted factories and likely to do the same to Smoore because there is public proof that both designs were introduced and sold to the public prior to patent filing for both parties. Essentially, making the designs in dispute, open to the public.
Most likely, this was an effort by Smoore (CCELL) to attempt to slow down AVD’s logistics with a stalling strategy that holds up shipments for 30 days prior to leaving Hong Kong customs but also helps create newsworthy material to use as a defensive narrative against AVD’s surging growth.
It’s business as usual at our contracted factories and we are in the process of opening up factory number three in Q4 of this year.
But it’s cool to blatantly rip off intellectual property? I’ve been in the vape game for a looooonnng time, And I find it hard to believe this avd company did anything before ccell but hey what do I really know. This ain’t trap shit. And it ain’t snitching. This is how business works.
