A former North East Lincolnshire business man has plead guilty to selling illegal vapes.
Sukhdev Singh Tattla, 34, of Beverley Close, Holton-Le-Clay, appeared at Grimsby Magistrates Court on Monday, 19 August, after North East Lincolnshire Council’s Trading Standards team discovered hundreds of illegal vapes during an inspection in October last year.
The team visited Tattla’s former Go Local store on Thrunscoe Road, Cleethorpes, discovering 847 illegal vapes. The items were deemed to breach the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations of 2016.
By law, Vapes should have an internal tank capacity of no more than 2ml, and the level of nicotine contained in the vaping fluid should not exceed 20mg/ml (or 2 per cent).
As with tobacco products, these items are required to display certain health warnings and every such device, and the liquid it contains, should be registered with the MHRA (Medicines and Health care products Regulatory Agency) prior to being released onto the market.
The products at Mr. Tattla’s former business were found to contain up to ten times this amount.
He was ordered to pay £995 consisting of a fine of £200, costs of £665 and an additional victim surcharge of £80. He was permitted to pay this back at a minimum of £50 a month and has since closed the business as a result of the investigation.
Retailers are also reminded to ensure they only purchase their e-cigarettes and vapes from genuine suppliers, which should guarantee they are buying legal products and to retain their invoices for traceability purposes.
Speaking about the outcome, Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said: “I am very pleased with this result and proud to see our Trading Standards team at the forefront of dealing with illegal vaping.
“Illegal and oversized vaping products are becoming increasingly popular but can be harmful to people’s health, which is why we’re working hard to remove them from the streets. We are also seeing an increase in the sale of them to young people, which is a worrying trend and something we are keen to stamp out.
“Let this be a lesson to those selling illegal vapes. North East Lincolnshire Council have a zero tolerance policy and will not rest whilst these products are still available for sale in the borough.
“Those found to be selling them will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. However, we do rely on information to ensure that this can be achieved succinctly and successfully.
“If you are aware or suspect someone may be selling illegal vapes or tobacco, please contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 to report the matter to Trading Standards.”
He added: “It is important to remember that whilst legitimate disposable vaping bars can be a very useful aid to smokers who are wanting to quit, they still have potential health issues as a result of use, and should never be purchased and used by non-smokers”.
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