Illegal vape sellers targeted by test purchasers

There has been an increase in the number of 11 to 15 year olds that use vapes, according to NHS Digital

Illegal vape sellers are set to be targeted by test purchasers and other covert methods in Reading.

The borough council's policy committee has unanimously approved a strategy to use undercover surveillance to tackle vape vendors selling to children.

Methods the authorities are allowed to use include council officers monitoring people in a covert manner and the use of trained test purchasers, who can either be adults or young people.

Council officers have already worked with Thames Valley Police to catch those selling vapes to underage teens at Reading Festival in August.

Reading Festival banned the use of disposable vapes in 2023

During the operation at the festival, a stall-holder was found to be selling vapes to underage teens.

Reading council's trading standards team took immediate action by asking a market inspector at the festival to expel the stall-holder and stop them from returning.

Michael Graham, the council's assistant director for legal and democratic services, said that the operation "shows that a good policy and procedures can actually help officers empowered to do that enforcement work which makes a difference".

The council may also use what it called a "covert human intelligence source", which is someone who is undercover as part of its inspections.

Liz Terry, lead councillor for corporate services, stressed that the covert methods the authority is allowed to deploy would only be used sparingly.

Councillor Terry said: “Whilst not used very often we need to make sure they’re used appropriately and correctly."

She said the methods would be used “to make sure that we detect and prosecute fraud and any unlawful action that’s taken in the community".

“They are important tools, not to be used too often, but there is a certain amount of transparency here to make sure everybody knows what we do and why we’re doing it, " she added.