Tens of thousands of illegal vapes are being seized from black market vape sellers in police raids across the UK every month.
In a report, using freedom of information requests, supplier Vape Superstore ranked the UK councils that have the most businesses selling illegal vapes and the number of illegal vapes/cigarettes seized between 1st January 2023 and 29th February 2024.
Kent County Council seized more illegal vapes than any UK council, counting 431,005 in total. Many of these arrive through the Eurotunnel terminal and the Port of Dover. Meanwhile Lancashire County Council has the most businesses stocking illegal vapes, with 132 dodgy shops in total
Non-regulated vapes pose a danger as they may contain different amounts of nicotine to the amounts stated on the packaging, as well as having a higher chance of containing harmful chemicals. An estimated one-third of vapes currently sold in the UK are believed to be non-compliant with regulations. This figure could see a substantial rise with the upcoming disposable vape ban in 2025. Vape Superstore wanted to find out how prevalent this issue is and which UK regions have the biggestproblem with the black market.
Commenting on the findings, David Phillips from Vape Superstore said: “The influx of illegal vapes into the market has created a dangerous black market that consumers aren’t always aware of. Our study shows the illegal vape black market is a big concern across the UK, but particularly in areas like Kent, Lancashire, Anglesey and Swansea - to name a few. With raised awareness about the dangers of these products, we believe consumers will be able to make better informed purchasing decisions in the future”.
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