Vapes 10 times over legal size seized at Kent ports

Illegal vapes were seized by Kent Trading Standards at the county's port, the county council says

Almost 500,000 illegal vapes, some 10 times the legal size, were seized at Kent ports in 2023, the BBC has discovered.

The disposable vapes, manufactured in China, arrive in the county through the Eurotunnel terminal and the Port of Dover, Kent County Council said.

The council's trading standards said it believed an organised network was trying to bring the vapes into the UK.

In 2023, 484,366 illegal vapes were seized at Kent ports.

A further 19,349 were seized in shops.

Vapes are illegal if the tank capacity is more than 2ml and the nicotine volume more than 20mg.

Industry standard for the number of puffs, though not a legal requirement, is about 600 puffs.

Kent Trading Standards has been finding disposable vapes with 15,000 puffs and 20ml of liquid, putting them 10 times the legal limit.

It said the size of the illegal devices was increasing.

The government has announced that disposable vapes are to be banned as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping.

• How dangerous is vaping and what is the disposable vape ban?

• How easy is it to buy an illegal vape?

• Illegal vape seizures soar in Kent

Jim Whiddett, operations manager at Kent Trading Standards, said: "We believe it's an organised network that's bringing them in.

"They are manufactured in China and find their way to us through one of the ports in Kent. We cover Dover Port and Eurotunnel," he said.

Jim Whiddett said ingredients in illegal vapes can make people ill

Mr Whiddett told the BBC: "A 600-puff device which has gone through the [official] channels to be verified, that will help people quit smoking.

"But when you're looking at a product which hasn't gone through those verification checks, you don't know what's actually in the product.

"There have been reports of them having heavy metals in them, and other things that can cause other illnesses and problems that people aren't expecting."

Toxic chemical

Mark Rolfe, interim head of community protection at Kent County Council, said: "It is a growing concern, there are thousands and thousands of illegal vapes coming into the country and a lot of them through Kent.

"Nicotine, which is the key ingredient to a vape is a highly toxic chemical.

"It's really important that it's not supplied in excess and it's not supplied in a way that it's dangerous to the public."

Mr Rolfe added: "The market is huge and the market has expanded well beyond the public health use of a vape."

The UK Vaping Industry Association said disposable vapes "played a key role in helping millions of adults quit and stay off cigarettes".

It said the ban would put children at greater risk by "turbo-charging the black market" and instead called for better enforcement of current laws.

British American Tobacco's UK arm suggested increased controls on "importation, appeal, and access" would more effectively reduce underage use".

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