Posted on Monday 15th January 2024
Photos of some of the seized items
An operation to tackle the sale of illegal vapes and banned foods in Staffordshire has made seizures worth an estimated £7,657.
The raids, at four premises in Burton on Wednesday 3 January, resulted in the seizure of 533 non-compliant vapes and 182 foods containing banned ingredients, including imported drinks and crisps. The oversized vapes can contain harmful chemicals and imported banned food items often have ingredients which are not allowed in this country and have been found to harm people’s health.
Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards officers were supported by Staffordshire Police and East Staffordshire Borough Council who were advising businesses on licensing and waste issues.
Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“We continue to see a rise in the number of illegal and non-compliant vapes on sale across Staffordshire, and tackling the sale of them remains a priority for the team. Not only can these products be harmful to people’s health but the fact they are increasingly being sold to young people is very worrying.
“Officers are also seeing an increase in the availability of banned food items, including American candy and fizzy drinks. Again, many of these items are not manufactured for the UK market and shouldn’t be on sale.
“We do rely on intelligence from the public about the sales of any non-compliant or illegal products, so anyone with information should contact the team.”
Since April 2023, officers have seized a total of 11,483 disposable vapes, 73,867 cigarettes, almost 17kg of hand rolling tobacco and almost 5000 prohibited foods. The seizures have a retail value of over £230,000.
People can report the sale of illegal or counterfeit products on the Trading Standards confidential helpline on 01785330356.