Vaping: Trading standards detect rise in counterfeit vapes at Channel ports

Demand for disposable vapes has risen dramatically over the last nine months, Kent Trading Standards says

The number of potentially unsafe disposable vapes being seized at the Channel ports has risen "dramatically", according to trading standards.

More than 300,000 of the counterfeit products had been seized during December, Kent Trading Standards said.

James Whiddett said: "A lot of our work has been focused on retail outlets but this is now higher up the supply chain."

He said children were being attracted to vaping by the sweet flavours.

Mr Whiddett said: "We're stopping these devices which may have about 10 times the legal limit of nicotine in them."

He said the current legal limit on the tank on disposable vapes is 2ml, which is the equivalent of 600 puffs.

"The products which we're seeing coming into the country at the moment have 3,500 puffs on them and some have 7,000 puffs, so they are illegal and cannot be supplied to anyone," he said.

Illegal vapes labelled as 3,500 puffs were found by Kent Trading Standards

Mr Whiddett said the demand for disposable vapes had risen dramatically over the last nine months.

"The flavours, the fact that people don't have to put their own liquids in, means it's convenient and easy.

"We're not sure where these illegal vapes were going, and our investigations are ongoing."

Gillian Golden, CEO of the Independent British Vape Trade Association, said: "Non-compliant vape products are also associated with non-compliant sales, often to underage consumers."

She said the association would continue to assist trading standards over non-compliant vaping products.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].