Barnsley shop fined nearly £20,000 for selling illegal vapes and underage vape sales

A shop has been fined nearly £20,000 for selling illegal vapes after an investigation into smoking among local schoolchildren.

Market Hill Convenience Store on Market Hill, in Barnsley, came under suspicion after reports of pupils from a secondary school vaping.

Test purchases carried out by police found the store was selling vapes with nicotine levels above the legal limit.

Products were without the correct labelling and health information, such as warnings about nicotine content.

Undercover operations, using South Yorkshire Police cadets, also highlighted that the store willingly sold vapes to those under age.

The business was sentenced under smoking legislation.

In total, its owners were ordered to pay £19,211.55. Police seized £10,000 worth of illegal vapes.

Insp Richard Mangham said: “Illegal substances and unregulated products can cause serious harm to people’s health and have dangerous consequences for young people.

“We all have a responsibility, if you know someone or a business involved in counterfeit products, report it.”

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