More than 18,000 'knock-off vapes' have been seized in the police's ongoing campaign to crackdown on Manchester's notorious Counterfeit Street. Police raided a shop on Overbridge Road in Cheetham Hill on Thursday suspected of selling counterfeit goods and exploiting staff who are unable to work due to their immigration status.
Trading Standards officers seized 18,200 vapes that weren't compliant with safety standards. It was part of GMP's Operation Vulcan, which aims to dismantle organised crime gangs in Cheetham Hill and Strangeways, areas responsible for around 50% of all counterfeit trade in the UK.
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Det Insp Christian Julian said: "Operation Vulcan has located numerous criminal enterprises in the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways area flouting laws to sell knock-off vapes. The seizure today is a great result for Operation Vulcan and our partners as it means thousands of potentially harmful products have been taken off the streets of Greater Manchester."
Coun Lee-Ann Igbon said: "This action shows the important role our Trading Standards Team has in keeping residents in Manchester safe. In the UK, vapes are an age-restricted product and highly regulated for safety and quality.
"It’s important to say that most products on the market meet UK regulations, however, with non-compliant products there is a risk that none of the usual safety checks and procedures have been followed. We would encourage residents to report any concerns or suspected sales of non-compliant vapes to help protect the community."
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