Fine of £13,000 after illicit vapes found in c-shop

Nabaaz no longer runs the business, having sold it since the raid. Although Trading Standards often brings prosecutions against shop owners who sell illicit cigarettes, it is one of the first times charges relating to vapes have come before the court.

Magistrates were told that under current rules governing tobacco sales, vape products must have a maximum “tank capacity” of 2ml – which allows around 600 puffs. Any more liquid than this, and vapes do not comply with the Tobacco Products Directive.

The nicotine strength of vape liquid cannot be more than 20mg per ml – around 2 per cent.

Hallam, prosecuting on behalf of Trading Standards, told the court that some of the vape products in the store had tanks containing as much as 12ml – six times the amount legally allowed in the UK.

Other products had a tobacco strength two and a half times above the legal amount. Eight of the charges related to the illegal vapes found in the store.

The others related to the illicit tobacco found in the shop – which included counterfeit packets of Richmond, Lambert and Butler and Benson and Hedges cigarettes.

In his defense, Nabaaz’s defending lawyer said he had run the shop for around two and a half years at the time of the inspection. He had arrived in the UK from Iraq over two decades ago, and had worked his way up to owning his own business.

Referring to the cigarettes, he said that since he invested all his money into Wibsey Local, but it wasn’t doing too well. He fell into the temptation of bolstering his finances by selling illicit products.

“He knew full well the cigarettes were illegal,” stated the laywer, adding that he was less certain about the laws regarding vapes.

“He had no idea these vapes were not compliant with the law. He was negligent because he hadn’t researched it. He bought the products from a wholesaler in Manchester, and they were on full display in the shop – there was no attempt to conceal these products.”

He said the boxes were clear about how many puffs each e-cig would provide – even they were way above the legal limit.

Nabaaz will be sentenced on June 29.