A Salford building contained thousands of illicit vapes worth more than £400,000.
Following a complaint, police investigators and council trading standards inspectors raided the premises, which was owned by an unidentified corporation. Thousands of unlicensed disposable vapes and e-liquids were discovered concealed under shutters.
One of the seized vapes, which had a blueberry scent and the appearance of a toy soft drink, led council leaders to conclude that some of the vaporizers were “deliberately targeted at children.” Additionally, several of the seized e-cigarettes had more than double the permitted amount of nicotine.
Three van loads of illegal products, including 35,000 unlawful disposable vapes and 3,500 e-liquids, were filled by officers. The product is anticipated to have a street value of more than £400,000.
Now, there is a criminal inquiry underway. According to Salford Council, since January, 85,000 illegal vaping goods have been seized nearby.
Lead member for environment and community safety, Councillor, said: “It’s awful to find a local firm buying into that exploitation. Some makers cynically and purposefully construct vapes to appeal to minors. I’m really appreciative to the person who reported this, as it allowed our officers and police to enter and remove the shelves of these unlicensed and unlawful goods.
In order to recover the proceeds of crime, we might investigate money produced illegally in addition to taking action, such as prosecution. People can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service at 0808 223 1133 if they have any concerns about the sale of goods or services to those under the age of 18 so that the matter can be looked into.
To keep kids and teens safe, in particular, we must all work together. A vape’s legal maximum tank capacity is 2ml, or roughly 600 puffs.
Nicotine refill bottles may only be up to 10 ml in size and 20 mg/ml in nicotine strength. Any deviation from that needs to be notified.
Adults who use vapes responsibly can successfully quit smoking, but since nicotine is highly addictive, neither nonsmokers nor those under the age of 18 should use them.
In case any of the issues described in this article are affecting you, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will see what we can do to assist you.