Billingham shop shut down for selling vapes to children

The Station Express in Billingham has been forced to close for three months over reports that it sold vapes to children

A shop has been closed down for selling vapes to children.

Station Express in Station Road, Billingham, has been shut down for three months after Stockton Council was granted a closure order.

Cleveland Police said it visited the shop in November 2023 and seized fake cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Test purchases confirmed illicit vaping products from the shop did not comply with labelling regulations.

The items seized included 84 non-compliant, oversized vapes and 174 e-liquids which exceeded the 2ml legal limit.

'Huge health risk'

The council said the business operator was given a warning about criminal activity at the store.

However, more items were seized when trading standards officers returned in February.

They also made another test purchase when an illicit vape was sold to a child.

Labour Councillor Norma Stephenson, the council's cabinet member for access, communities and community safety, said: "Counterfeit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes pose a huge health risk to people because it's difficult to know what's in them.

"It's particularly worrying that these products are being sold to children.

"The closure should remind business owners that we have a zero-tolerance approach to sales of illicit products and anyone found selling these items will be brought before the courts."