2,500 illegal vapes seized from shop in Ipswich
They were found in a storeroom by Trading Standards officers
Last updated 16th Oct 2023
Around 2,500 illegal vapes have been seized from a shop in Ipswich, after an inspection by Suffolk Trading Standards.
The vapes were discovered in a storeroom after illegal tobacco was sold during a test-purchase.
The seized products offered between 3,500 and 10,000 puffs, far above the 600 maximum permitted by law.
Graham Crisp, Head of Suffolk Trading Standards, said:
“Illegal vapes such as these breach the safety legislation and indicate that they could be unsafe to use.
“That legislation is in place to help protect the public, and businesses who break those regulations can expect tough penalties.
“We will continue to carry out checks on retailers across Suffolk, taking legal action where necessary.”
Councillor Andrew Reid, a cabinet member at Suffolk County Council, said:
"Vaping has an important role to play in helping smokers to quit, especially when used in conjunction with specialist support from a stop smoking service.
“However illegal devices such as these are nothing to do with helping people quit smoking, instead they exacerbate the problem of inappropriate vaping.
“This seizure is another example of the on-going excellent work being carried out by Suffolk Trading Standards in tackling this problem.”