A cohort of Senate Republicans warned of dark risks associated with "illicit Chinese e-cigarettes," including how the vapes could be used as spying devices. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
The lawmakers charged that the "highly sophisticated" vapes had the ability to connect to a person’s cellphone and have become extremely commonplace.
"These devices have the capacity to initiate data breaches or malware infections and can also access and collect sensitive user data," they wrote. "Given the interconnected relationship between Chinese industry and state intelligence services, the targeting of U.S. military personnel with these devices raises profound national security concerns."
President Donald Trump made the crackdown against Chinese vapes one of the many side quests his administration pursued last year, going so far as to try and crush the supply of the devices at ports across the country.
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., was one of several Republicans pushing the Trump administration to further crack down on Chinese vapes. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
It’s not just a spying threat either.
The Republicans contended that the funding generated by the sale of vapes could be funneled toward military or technological initiatives in China meant to undermine American interests.
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They also noted that the vapes have been linked by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to Mexican cartels, specifically using the devices and operations as a money laundering front. That trade-based money laundering scheme, the lawmakers said, was part of a plan to move fentanyl proceeds on behalf of the cartels.
"Given the scale and severity of this threat, we urge the Treasury Department and USTR to use their respective enforcement and diplomatic authorities to combat illegal Chinese e-cigarettes," they wrote.
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-gop-warns-chinese-vapes-could-used-ccp-spy-americans-launder-cartel-cash