Vape shop owner fined £6k for selling to children

Ipswich's Orange Shop was found to have sold vapes to children on several occasions

A shop owner has been ordered to pay nearly £6,000 for selling vapes to under-18s.

Jawad Qazikhani is director of Anis Trading Limited which trades as The Orange Shop in Norwich Road, Ipswich.

He had pleaded guilty at Ipswich Magistrates' Court to one count of breaching the Nicotine Inhaling Products Regulations 2015.

Sasha Watson, the community engagement officer from Suffolk Trading Standards, said it was "very worrying" when it received reports from the police and public.

"Unfortunately we had got information that [the business was] selling and with all of our complaints of this nature we go and test that," Ms Watson said, speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk.

"We take underage children in to do an attempt of purchase on age-restricted products - in this case vapes - to test their procedures."

In May last year, trading standards said it launched its operation and found a vape was sold to a child.

According to the body, advice on age-restricted products was given to the business while a written warning was also issued.

In September, the shop was then tested again by inspectors but vapes were sold for a second time to an under-18.

The business was fined £1,600 at court on Monday, including £3,748 in costs and a £640 victim surcharge.

'Very worrying'

Ms Watson added that trading standards conducted underage sale operations elsewhere in the county on Tuesday evening.

Three premises were visited, two of which had previously been tested and given advice.

"None of our premises that we visited... sold again," Ms Watson said.

"These vapes are a means for people to try and stop smoking but it's very clear guidance from public health that children should never be having access to vapes.

"It is very worrying when we are getting reports of children as young as primary school getting hold of these products and we need to make sure we can stop those premises doing so."

Qazikhani and The Orange Shop were approached for comment by the BBC.