Leeds: Thousands of illegal vapes seized from two shops in city crackdown

Disposable vapes may become illegal in the UK

Almost 16,000 illegal vapes were seized from just two retailers in Leeds as part of a city-wide crackdown.

West Yorkshire Trading Standards, West Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council joined forces for the operation after public concerns that both premises were selling illicit and oversized vapes.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced earlier this week that disposable vapes are set to be banned in the UK.

Illegal vapes may contain dangerous levels of nicotine and other chemicals.

Sgt Lee MacDonald, of Leeds City Neighbourhood Policing Team, said removing the illegal vapes was important due to the "harm and risk" - particularly to children and young people.

"This successful operation has seen a huge haul of potentially harmful products taken out of circulation and it should send a clear deterrent message to other retailers trading in illegal vapes," he said.

David Strover, from West Yorkshire Trading Standards, warned that those selling vapes illegally may be hit with penalties of unlimited fines and even up to two years in prison.

He said: "The illegal vaping market not only undermines other retailers who are operating and trading within the law, but it is also driving more young people to start experimenting with vapes and risk addiction."

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The operation involved five police officers securing each of the premises before a team of Trading Standards officers then seized the vapes, where they found about 75% of stock to be illegal

It came as the government plans to ban disposable vapes across the UK in an attempt to deter young people from smoking them.

Currently, it is illegal to sell any vape to anyone under 18.

However, the government has said disposable vapes are often sold in smaller, more colourful packaging than refillable ones and are contributing to the rise in youth vaping.