Trading officers have seized £4,000 worth of illegal 'super vapes' that give more than four times the amount of puffs as legal ones. Around 348 of the vapes were found in a shop on Notting Hill’s Portobello Road.
Each vape carried up to 3,500 puffs, whileindicating a legal tank size of 2ml, exceeding the limit of 600 to 800 puffs per vape. Each illegal vape was being sold for £12, giving the shop a profit of around £2,700, ripping off honest customers. The total retail value was around £4,000.
Kensington and Chelsea Council are now working with the business to ensure these dangerous products are not sold again. This year the team has seized around 1,100 illegal vapes, taking the total up to about 4,000 since 2021.
A vape tank cannot exceed over 2ml and should not provide more than 600-800 puffs. They also can’t go over the nicotine strength of two per cent and the nicotine liquid should not contain any additives or ingredients such as caffeine or taurine.
All vape products containing nicotine should have a health warning that covers 30 per cent of the front and back of the packet. This must read: “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.”
Even if a vape follows all these rules, if it is not approved by the medicines and healthcare products regulator MHRA, it will be classed as illegal. Officers are continuing to educate retailers and spread awareness amongst young people in the borough.
Cllr Josh Rendall, lead member for local economy and employment, said: “We are seeing an increase in the sale of Illegal vapes in London with many businesses displaying and selling vapes exceeding the legal limit. Portobello Road is a world-famous shopping destination, attracting tourists who are unaware that they are buying fake vapes.
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“Our officers are protecting young people and visitors to the borough, by making them aware of the risks and cracking down on rogue traders to ensure our amazing spaces in the borough are safe and fair.”
