Illegal vape dangers highlighted after BBC probe

Trading standards teams have spoken out about the dangers of illegal vapes after a BBC investigation found more than six million non-compliant products were seized over three years.

Dudley was identified as one of the 10 areas with the highest number of products seized between 2022 and 2024, of the 133 out of 136 local trading standards authorities that responded to BBC freedom of information requests.

The BBC discovered thousands of records of retailers selling vapes to children, and sales of illegal vapes were a factor in hundreds of shop closures.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency strongly advises consumers not to use illicit vapes because the true content is unknown.

At least 31,177 non-compliant products were seized by Staffordshire County Council, where trading standards manager Tony Shore said it was not known what chemicals they contained.

He said: "A lot of the ones that we're seeing – they're bright colours; the flavours that they are being flavoured with are attractive to young people, and those are the ones that tend to get bought by young people."

Richard Overton, deputy leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, said: "Some of them are oversized, which means they're illegal because of the number of puffs you can take on those products.

"Some people in the community would think that's a good thing because they're trying to save money, but actually to have an illegal vape could be dangerous because they're not licensed."

Nearly 10,000 were seized across Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin, data showed.

Overton said the council was working with West Mercia Police on an intelligence-led basis to identify those selling the products.

Tactics included using specially trained dogs for searches, seizing products, reviewing licences and looking at criminal proceedings and injunctions, he added.

Coventry City Council's trading standards team seized 9,934 illicit or non-compliant vapes between 2022 and 2024.

Liam Mooney, principal trading standards officer for Coventry, said the trade in vapes was linked to many issues, but he had found many vape shops were run by organised crime gangs – and shops selling illegal goods were "far less scrupulous in terms of selling to those under 18".

He would like to have greater powers to be able to shut down shops selling vapes altogether.

A spokesman for the Independent British Vape Trade Association said the majority of purposed vape shops operated within the law, but a resurgence in the popularity of single-use vapes - a popular "cash market" – had seen organised crime gangs get involved.

The IBVTA welcomed the recently-announced £10m of extra investment in trading standards by the government, and the extra powers officers will have via the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

From 1 June, it will be illegal for businesses in the UK to sell, supply or possess single-use vapes for sale.

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