Police sting finds shops selling vapes to under-18s

Four shops in Preston, Burnley and Colne were found to be selling vapes that did not comply with relevant safety legislation.

An undercover police operation found 20 shops illegally selling vapes to underage teens, Lancashire County Council has said.

A team of volunteers, aged between 13 and 16, attempted to buy vapes from 56 shops across East Lancashire, as part of a police sting jointly run by the council and Lancashire constabulary.

It is illegal to sell the e-cigarettes to anyone under 18. However, nearly a third of the shops visited sold vapes to the volunteers, the council said.

Four shops in Preston, Burnley and Colne were also found to be selling vapes that did not comply with the relevant safety legislation.

'Extremely disappointing'

Officers seized more than 300 non-compliant vapes from one shop in Preston and one in Burnley.

"Selling vapes to children is not only against the law, but it can put them at risk of harm and lead to issues of anti-social behaviour," Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Dave Byrne, from Lancashire Police, said.

"We will continue to work with our partners to ensure these items do not get into the hands of children, and we will take robust action against those who break the law by selling them."

Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards team joined forces with Lancashire Constabulary officers for the operation.

The team visited premises across Lancaster, Wyre, Preston, Ribble Valley, Chorley, Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle.

"It is extremely disappointing that our team found 20 businesses that were willing to act without scruples, and to sell these products to young residents in Lancashire," said Councillor Michael Green, cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing at Lancashire County Council.

"It is so important that young people are protected from buying vapes.

"The active ingredient in most vapes is nicotine, which is a highly addictive drug. This means that a user can become dependent on vapes, especially if they use them regularly."