ST. LOUIS - Federal agents have seized over 600,000 illegal vapes from a warehouse near Chicago as part of a nationwide crackdown on unauthorized vaping products.

The seized vapes, which include both nicotine and THC products, are often smuggled in from China and marketed directly to kids, according to officials. 

This operation is part of a larger effort to remove unauthorized vaping products from shelves across the country.

Abe Givens, who runs Viola STL Dispensary in downtown St. Louis, shared his firsthand experience with the impact of these illegal products and speculated on who might soon be on the federal radar.

"I feel like Missouri will be next! We have a number of smoke shops that have been shut down in the city of Saint Louis and the surrounding areas so I'm sure they will come to check to see what's going on,” Givens said.

The Vapor Technology Association criticized the FDA's actions, stating that the seizures are "an assault on American workers, small businesses, and the tax base."

In St. Louis and St. Louis County, retailers are required to check IDs, hold licenses and sell only FDA-authorized products. This local regulation aims to ensure that vaping products are sold responsibly and legally.

Residents in St. Louis expressed support for the crackdown, welcoming efforts to control the sale of illegal vaping products. 

"I think that getting vapes off the streets, especially if they are illegal for an underage population. That's a really good thing,” Leah Staples, a St. Louisan, said.

The Vapor Technology Association argues that the crackdown could lead to the bankruptcy of thousands of shops and a loss of billions in tax revenue.

While federal officials have not announced any large-scale raids in Missouri, there was an incident over the summer when a local unlicensed shop was shut down for selling illegal products, including vapes.