In a significant law enforcement action, the owner and a seller of Fire Tabacaria, a tobacco shop in Ceilândia, Brazil, were arrested on the night of October 24 for selling electronic cigarettes, known as 'vapes'. These products have been prohibited in Brazil since 2009, and authorities were acting on multiple anonymous complaints regarding the shop's activities. The arrests occurred when police caught a 16-year-old leaving the store after purchasing a vape for R$ 1.50, highlighting a concerning trend of illegal sales targeting minors.

During the police operation, approximately 200 items were confiscated, including vapes, disposable pods, flavored liquids containing nicotine, and various accessories associated with vaping. Additionally, two mobile phones and notebooks with business records were seized, indicating the scale of operations at the tobacco shop. The legal consequences for the owner, a 31-year-old, and the 19-year-old seller were severe, as they faced charges for smuggling or tax evasion alongside selling an addictive product to a minor, as outlined in Brazil's Child and Adolescent Statute.

In light of these developments, both suspects chose to remain silent in the presence of an attorney and stated that they would only make a statement later concerning the charges against them. This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in Brazil in curbing illegal sales of nicotine products, particularly those which can be easily accessed by minors, and raises further questions about the enforcement of existing regulations in protecting public health and welfare.