Some of the more than 500 vapes seized in the operation
(Picture: Barking and Dagenham Council)Hundreds of illegal vapes have been seized from two shops during an operation in Barking.
Officers from Barking and Dagenham Council’s Trading Standard’s Service confiscated more than 500 of the illicit devices last Wednesday, after visiting the shops and finding they were selling products that did not comply with UK regulations.
Councillor Syed Ghani, cabinet member for Enforcement and Community Safety, slammed the businesses for “potentially putting people at risk”.
“Local businesses have a responsibility to sell products that are safe for use by our residents,” he said. “These two shops did not follow the UK regulations and are potentially putting people at risk.
“Seizures like this show why the work of our Trading Standard’s officers is so important, and they continue to do fantastic work to protect our residents.”
Both shops will be given written warnings and will continue to be monitored by council officers. If they carry on selling these products, they could face further prosecution.
If residents are aware of shops selling products illegally, they should email tradingstandards@lbbd.gov.uk.
There are strict rules surrounding the sale of vaping products.
The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 requires that vaping devices and liquids must come with an information leaflet, containing prescribed safety instructions, warnings, and UK-based contact details. The leaflet must also include a statement that the product is not recommended for use by young people or non-smokers.
Meanwhile, liquid containing nicotine must be in a dedicated refill container with a maximum volume of 10ml, or a disposable electronic cigarette, single use cartridge or a tank of two millilitres or less.
There are also specific guidelines regarding packaging. Each item must carry a label saying ‘This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance’, and the writing must be in bold, black Helvetica typeface on a white background covering 30% of both the front and back of the packaging.
Vaping is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, particularly in younger people, prompting concerns about the accessibility of vaping products.
According to a survey by Action on Smoking and Health, the number of 11- to 18-year-olds who have taken up the habit doubled in the 12 months leading up to October, while some schools have reportes that children as young as seven are vaping.
