FLORIDA (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — Florida’s attorney general is calling it the biggest illegal vape seizure in state history — a coordinated crackdown that pulled thousands of products off shelves, including contraband vaping devices and nitrous oxide canisters, and led to felony charges against a store owner.
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Feb. 6, 2026, that the statewide Vape Task Force seized 2,183 contraband vapes during four operations carried out with the Enforcement Unit of the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and local law enforcement. The operations targeted vape shops accused of selling products that violate Florida law and, authorities said, present risks to children and consumers.
The enforcement effort is not limited to one region, and the task force said investigations and inspections remain ongoing statewide — a point that matters locally in Palm Beach County, where vape and smoke shops are a familiar part of the retail landscape and where state regulators can conduct inspections and compliance checks under the same statewide framework.
Across the four task force operations, officials reported seizures of 263 illegal vapes in Clermont, 636 in Ocoee, 855 in Okaloosa County, and 423 in Milton. Alongside the vaping devices, officers also seized nitrous oxide canisters, chargers, and related drug paraphernalia.
“These businesses are knowingly selling illegal products that are designed to attract children and evade Florida law,” Uthmeier said. “This record-breaking seizure sends a clear message: if you profit off addiction, deception, and dangerous substances, we will find you and shut you down.”
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is committed to enforcing state law and described the products as a public health threat that also undercuts legitimate businesses. DBPR Secretary Melanie S. Griffin said the joint operations reflect a focus on protecting communities — “especially our children” — and included enforcement actions involving unlawful vapes, nitrous oxide products, and other prohibited substances.
In Okaloosa County, authorities said a compliance check at Unique Vape and Cigar led to the seizure of 195 nitrous oxide canisters. Another seven nitrous oxide canisters were seized in Milton, along with 50 nitrous oxide chargers — commonly referred to as “crackers” — and balloons used for inhalation, authorities said.
The owner of Unique Vape and Cigar, Golam Farooque, was arrested on eight felony counts of Illegal Sale of Nitrous Oxide by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, according to the announcement. Under Florida Statutes 893.145, the attorney general’s office said nitrous oxide chargers and associated items are classified as drug paraphernalia.
The state also described a broader regulatory sweep beyond the items physically seized by officers. FDACS conducted regulatory inspections and removed what it described as thousands of illegal products from store shelves. In Clermont, the department removed 2,054 packages of product from six stores. In Ocoee, FDACS removed 6,181 packages of product from eight stores. Officials said FDACS is still finalizing product removal totals from enforcement actions in Okaloosa County, Milton, and Gulf Breeze.
Authorities said products were removed from sale for multiple alleged violations of Florida law, including failures involving container and labeling requirements, lack of child-resistant packaging, unlawful advertising and marketing practices, and packaging elements — including business names, logos, colors, or additives — described as designed to appeal to children. The announcement also listed alleged violations tied to references to illegal or unlawful substances, promotion of marijuana use, and the presence of controlled or prohibited substances, including 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), tianeptine, and hemp extract containing more than 0.3 percent total delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol on a wet-weight basis.
Local law enforcement leaders involved in the operations framed the effort as a partnership-based enforcement push. Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said the work focused on keeping young people safe, while Milton Police Chief Jennifer Frank said the operation reflected cooperation between state and local agencies and described community safety as a priority.
The attorney general’s office said Uthmeier established the Vape Free Florida Fund in March 2025 to support enforcement of the state’s nicotine and vapor laws, following a $79 million settlement with JUUL Labs. The attorney general’s office said keeping dangerous products out of the hands of children remains a priority.
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