Midlands shop with 1,100 illegal vapes hidden in basement and oven handed huge £30k court bill

A shop caught selling more than 1,100 illegal vapes has been handed a huge court bill topping £30,000. Sweet Vapez Ltd, in Shrewsbury, sold non-compliant vapes to members of the public.

Staff at the store were also caught selling a disposable vape to a child. The shop, along with its boss, have now been punished by magistrates.

Telford Magistrates' Court heard how Shropshire Council's trading standards officers seized 900 non-compliant vapes, which were hidden in the shop's basement. Non-compliant vapes have tank capacities containing more than the permitted 2ml per 600 puffs, Shropshire Council said.

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Items seized at the shop on October 31, 2023, had capacities of 12ml, 18ml and 20ml. The court heard how Sweet Vapez Ltd was made subject to an underage sales exercise on April 9.

It followed reports that the business was selling vapes to people under 18 years of age. A 14-year-old volunteer was able to purchase a bottle of e-liquid containing nicotine used to refill vapes, the council said.

Officers made another visit to the shop on July 10 and discovered 215 illegal disposable vapes with capacities of 12ml. Some were hidden in an old oven.

Sweet Vapez Ltd – trading as Castle Hill - and company director Nazar Haytham Ali each admitted six offences relating to the sale of disposable vapes containing fruit flavoured liquid with excess levels of nicotine. Sweet Vapez Ltd, of Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, also pleaded guilty to selling a disposable vape to a 14-year-old.

Each was ordered to pay a total court bill of £15,214, while Sweet Vapez Ltd was also fined £461 for the underage sale – a total of £30,899. The sentence hearing took place on Monday, November 11.

Chris Schofield, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for planning and regulatory services, said: "Our trading standards team wants to work with businesses to ensure they comply with the law and act responsibly. However, where necessary we will not hesitate to take robust enforcement action, as this case shows.

"The legal controls that govern vapes are quite clear and the law states that the maximum tank size is 2ml. We have known for many years that nicotine is highly addictive, and therefore the amount and strength of it in compliant devices is controlled for a reason.

"The law relating to sales of alcohol, tobacco, nicotine vaping products, fireworks and other age-restricted products and services exists to protect children and young people from harm – and for this reason the council takes its role in preventing sales of age-restricted products very seriously."