A STALYBRIDGE store has been caught selling illegal vapes.
Officers from Tameside Council’s trading standards team swooped on Pound Buster Bargains, on Melbourne Street, after receiving a tip-off.
When they searched the premises, they found and seized 552 illegal vapes, worth an estimated street value of £5,271.
After information from the police that the business was not only selling banned vapes but making them available to children, a warning letter was sent to the store.
A follow-up visit discovered the non-compliant e-cigarettes hidden under the counter.
To stay within the law, the tank size of a disposable vape must not exceed 2ml, which equates to roughly 650 puffs.
More than half of those seized claimed to offer 10,000 – more than 15 times the legal limit.
Cllr Vincent Ricci, Tameside Council’s assistant executive member with responsibility for enforcement, said: “As an authority we have a duty to look after the safety of our younger residents. We take that responsibility very seriously.
“These illegal items were seized just as the Government was announcing that disposable vapes are to be banned in the UK as part of plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children’s health.
“Fortunately, the vast majority of our traders are honest people who stick to the law. For the tiny minority who are prepared to flout the rules, we will always take the necessary action when we deem it to be necessary.”
For more on illegal tobacco products and how to report sales visit: www.tameside.gov.uk/adultservices/Tacklingillegaltobacco
Meanwhile the real crims are having a party