Zero tolerance for illegal vapes in Wales with new initiative tackling criminal gangs

PA
Research showing that 5% of secondary pupils in Wales vape at least once a week. Credit: PA

Criminal gangs behind the sale of illegal vapes are facing a crackdown.

Trading Standards Wales has launched a new initiative which aims to break the links between illegal vaping operations, criminality and child sexual exploitation.

Seizures of illegal product arriving in Wales from its ports and by other means runs into hundreds of thousands, according to Trading Standards Wales.

The Welsh Government has announced funding for the initiative to help in the fight to stop illegal vapes being sold in Wales.

Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle said: "The supply of illegal vapes will not be tolerated in Wales.

Many have raised concerns over the branding of vapes, claiming the bright colours and fruity flavours are appealing to children. Credit: PA

She continued: "This is a complex and large-scale problem that is affecting every community in Wales, and the funding we are providing will help enforcement officers stop illegal vaping products being sold in Wales.

“Not only are products being illegally sold to children, but some are also potentially harmful to health, and have been found to contain dangerous chemicals and harmful levels of metals like lead."

The minister added: “This benefits the environment too, with less of these potentially dangerous products harming our environment by being wrongly disposed of.”

Previous operations to tackle illegal tobacco saw more than 840,000 illegal cigarettes and more than 400kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco seized from commercial premises in Wales.

Trading Standards Wales officers will be using a number of techniques to crack down on illegal vapes, some of which include undertaking test purchasing, dog detection to identify rogue retailers, intelligence gathering, and checks at ports.

The aim is to help safeguard consumers from these products as more and more children and young people are increasingly using vapes.

The Chair of Trading Standards Wales, Judith Parry said: "Vaping was initially seen as a supporting mechanism to smoking cessation.  Unfortunately, we have seen the market in illegal and disposable vapes take off, with it being the main area of concern for trading standards currently.

"Seizures of illegal product arriving in Wales from its ports and by other means runs into hundreds of thousands.

She added: "Trading Standards Wales is concerned with the impact that such products can have on our youths with many that had never previously smoked taking to vaping.  

"Many of these products can contain illegal substances such as heavy metals, the ingestion of which can cause harm to an individual over a period of time."

And continued: "This is a complicated area of work which permeates into the world of organised crime and child sexual exploitation.  

"As such it should not be perceived as a victimless crime and trading standards services across Wales, working closely with partner agencies, will do whatever they can to ensure that the trade in illegal vapes is regulated as efficiently and effectively as possible”.

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