Dunstable shop owner fined £2,000 for selling illegal vapes

A shop owner in Dunstable has been fined more than £2,000 by Central Bedfordshire Council for selling illegal vapes.

According to local reports, Central Bedfordshire Council undertook an inspection of Loco Ltd in September 2022, following a complaint by a member of the public. During the inspection of the premises 46 illegal vapes were seized.

The case was heard in Luton Magistrates’ Court on Friday, August 25, where Mr Gandhi, the manager of Loco Ltd, pleaded guilty to five offences under the Tobacco and Related Products (England) Regulations 2016, and one offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. He was found guilty of selling vaping products that did not adhere to the stringent legal requirements set.

He received £2,410 in fines and penalties, for the illicit vapes found and seized on his premises. The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the seized materials.

Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive Member for Health and Community Liaison, Councillor Rebecca Hares, said: “This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the safety of all our communities. We will continue to enforce regulations designed to protect the health and wellbeing of residents.

“I want to thank members of the public who report criminal activity, and also council officers for their hard work in bringing successful prosecutions. We will always take action and remove illegal products from the marketplace when we find them.

“Businesses may be tempted to sell illegal tobacco or vaping products to customers who think they are getting the genuine product. Not only is this illegal, but this is also theft from the taxpayer and undermines the public confidence in legitimate traders.”