Illegal E-Cigarette Sales Case: Shop Owner Fined £4,727

According to a report from Rbwm.Gov on August 1st, a company director and their store were fined a total of £4727 by the court for selling illegal e-cigarettes in a case investigated and prosecuted by the UK Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Trading Standards Authority. The products sold by the store included the e-cigarette brand "LOST MARY".

The incident stemmed from a seizure of 170 e-cigarettes with an estimated retail value of £1,500 at Top Shop & Off Licence on St. Leonard's Road in Windsor by the Royal Borough of Windsor Trading Standards on July 31, 2023. The shop is operated by Baweja & Brother Limited and is owned by 22-year-old Tamanpreet Singh.

On July 19, 2024, Singh pleaded guilty to two charges in the Reading District Court for himself and his company.

These allegations involve product requirements and product labeling. The confiscated e-cigarette products were deemed illegal for containing nicotine e-liquid in quantities exceeding the legal limit. The maximum allowable capacity for disposable e-cigarettes is 2 milliliters, while these e-cigarettes were found to contain 10 milliliters and 14 milliliters respectively. Among the confiscated products was the e-cigarette brand "LOST MARY.

In addition, the health warning labels on these e-cigarettes do not comply with regulations, as they do not meet the required level of visibility.

These allegations are directed against his company and Singh personally, as he bears direct responsibility for these illegal actions, and has received multiple suggestions and warnings from the trade standards bureau.

Singh must pay a total of £984 in fines, £394 in victim surcharges, and £742 in court costs.

Baweja & Brother Limited company has been ordered to pay a total of £1332 in fines, £533 in victim surcharges, and £742 in royal borough fees.

In total, fines and fees amount to a total of £4,727, with the court also ordering the confiscation and destruction of the e-cigarettes.

Home Affairs and Regulation Cabinet member Richard Coe stated that

I want to thank the team at the Trade Standards Bureau for their hard work in successfully completing this lawsuit. It is crucial to protect residents from dangerous or toxic products by cracking down on illegal and unsafe e-cigarette products.

The work of the Bureau of Trade Standards also aims to prevent unfair trading practices and protect businesses that always comply with regulations. This prosecution should serve as a warning to other businesses in the region that they will face consequences if they do not abide by the law.