Vape detection dog helps seize £18,000 worth of illegal vapes from two shops in Nottinghamshire

Over £18,000 worth of illegal vapes have been seized from two shops in Newark in Nottinghamshire.

Trading Standards officers visited the premises with a specialist tobacco and vape detection dog where they found 1,437 illegal vapes that are estimated to be worth £18,861.

The vapes that were confiscated were all found to have tank sizes of between 10ml and 25ml - making them 5 to 12.5 times the legal limit of 2ml.

Officer say the illegal vapes were being displayed on shelves, giving the impression that they were legal, meaning members of the public could unwittingly purchase a product that is far more dangerous for their health than they realise.

Any shops that sell vapes are encouraged to check they are not selling any devices with a tank size over 2ml, or 600 puffs, as they will be breaking the law if they are.

Councillor Gordon Wheeler, Deputy Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Unfortunately, businesses are sometimes tempted to sell non-compliant vapes and illegal tobacco products with little regard for the impact on their customers’ health. Not only are these items dangerous to people’s health but they also harm the local economy, as the sellers often undercut legitimate traders and avoid paying tax to fund vital public services.

“Seizing almost 1,500 illegal vapes and taking them off the market is an excellent result for our officers. These raids send a strong message to traders that we will not tolerate the sale of illegal vapes or illegal tobacco in our community. Our officers will continue to take action to stop illegal trading and make our communities safer.”

Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…