Over 300 illegal vapes destroyed after raids in Grimsby
Two men fined over £3,000 following Trading Standards and police investigation
More than 300 illegal vapes have been destroyed after raids in Grimsby led to two men being prosecuted.
A total of 304 vapes were seized by North East Lincolnshire Council’s Trading Standards Team and Humberside Police as part of investigations across the area. Two men pleaded guilty to four offences at Grimsby Magistrates Court across two separate trials and received fines amounting to £3,279.
Amir Jihingir Hussein, 33, of Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby, was fined £230 at a hearing on 11th September 2025. In addition to the fine, he must pay a government surcharge of £92 and prosecution costs of £1,315. He admitted to three offences, including possession of 20,000 counterfeit cigarettes and 160 illegal oversized vapes, after a police traffic stop on 24th March 2024. Trading Standards had previously cautioned Hussein for similar offences five months earlier.
Shwan Fatahi, 24, of Freeman Street, Grimsby, was sentenced on 10th October 2025. He pleaded guilty to one offence concerning the possession of 144 illegal vapes and two offences linked to the sale of illicit cigarettes. Fatahi was fined £769, with an additional government surcharge of £308 and costs of £565. He, too, was cautioned by Trading Standards in late 2023.
Current regulations require vapes to meet strict criteria, including a maximum liquid capacity of 2ml and a nicotine concentration of no more than 20mg/ml. Products must also be refillable, rechargeable, and registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Councillor Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “Let this be a lesson to those who think they can get away with selling illegal and illicit tobacco products.
“Ourselves, alongside Humberside Police, will not stop prosecuting those who feel they are above the law. This is about not only making sure businesses are operating correctly, but also ensuring the safety of our residents.”
Councillor Stan Shreeve, Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care, added: “When you buy these products, you could be putting your own health at risk. Not only has no duty been paid on them, but they’ve not been tested to ensure they’re safe.
“I urge smokers in our region to use the support services on offer to help them quit smoking. We have so many examples of people turning their lives around completely after quitting smoking with support from the Wellbeing Team.”
Grimsby East Neighbourhood Inspector Pete Musgrave said: “I hope this latest result and recent seizure of counterfeit and illicit products demonstrates our determination to pursue every possible avenue to disrupt those involved in this type of criminality.
“This is an example of great partnership working and forms part of our ongoing work under Op Mandala, with some significant disruption across Grimsby. Work like this is important because it gets illegal products off the streets and out of our communities.”
Anyone with information about counterfeit tobacco or vapes in their area is asked to contact police on 101 or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Reports can also be made to Trading Standards by emailing [email protected] or calling 01472 326299 (option 3).