UK police and trade standards officials have conducted more raids on shops, this time targeting stores in West Yorkshire and Lancashire where counterfeit disposable electronic cigarettes were found and seized. The UK Vaping Industry Association has publicly condemned illegal sales of electronic cigarettes and highlighted guidelines available on its website.
The businesses in Skelmersdale and Ormskirk were targets of inspections by police and trade standard officials.
The Skelmersdale police department announced on their Facebook page that earlier this week, officers collaborated with a team from the Trading Standards company to conduct inspections on two stores - one located in Ormskirk and the other in Skelmersdale.
This inspection was conducted based on intelligence received regarding the sale of counterfeit and illegal cigarettes as well as electronic cigarettes that violate current regulations at the two stores. A total of 555 electronic cigarettes and 311 illegal cigarettes were seized from both stores.
The crimes committed include violations of the 1995 Trademark Law targeting counterfeit products, the 2015 Tobacco Product Standardization and Packaging Regulations targeting improper labeling of tobacco products, and the 2016 Regulations on Tobacco and Related Products targeting improper labeling of electronic liquids.
Police have conducted raids on shops in Kirklees, Dewsbury and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. According to reports, they seized over 3,000 disposable e-cigarettes worth around £40,000. They also discovered illegal cigarettes, hand-rolled tobacco pouches, perfume and clothing.
Amanda Holroyd commented, "Our team, along with officials from the West Yorkshire Trading Standards, have seized thousands of pounds worth of illegal and counterfeit goods... in some very significant seizures. We know that the cash from these seizures can often go directly towards funding organised crime, so we must make every effort to cut off the funding sources for serious criminal activity, which can have a destructive impact on communities.
Linda Davis, the standard manager for trade, stated that illegal trade of tobacco products makes it easier for children to start smoking.
John Dunne, the General Secretary of the UK Electronic Cigarette Industry Association, has commented on the issue of illegal sales in the industry. Based on his observations of the number of products on the market, reports of illegal sales, and the content of reports submitted to trading standards, Dunne sees this as a significant problem. He receives between 200-400 reports about illegal UK sellers each month, all of which are sent to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and trading standards departments for enforcement.
If retailers are allowed to grow responsibly, then this is a market with enormous growth potential. However, in the short term, ignoring compliance will have negative consequences and could lead to the ban of this category.
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