Police and trading standards have seized over £100,000 worth of illegal cigarettes and vapes from premises located in a Sheffield neighbourhood.
Arbourthorne, located in the south east of the city, is the area targeted as part of the multi-agency action.
A spokesperson for the Sheffield South East Neighbourhood Policing Team said, “The air over Arbourthorne smells slightly sweeter today, and not that sickly smell of fruit salad you get occasionally when you catch a vape cloud.
“Our team, working with trading standards, have seized over £100k of illegal cigarettes and vapes from premises' in the Arbourthorne area.
“Acting on intelligence, we moved quickly to get these potentially harmful products off the streets. A cracking result and a big step toward keeping our communities safer.”
It comes just weeks before a new law is set to come into force, making it illegal for businesses to sell or supply all single-use or “disposable” vapes.
The ban, which will be introduced on June 1, 2025 , applies to sales online and in shops, and all vapes whether they contain nicotine or not.
The banning of disposable vapes is designed to reduce the appeal of vapes to children and also protect the environment.
Elsewhere in Essex, a store has been ordered to shut after illegal tobacco and vapes were found during an inspection by Trading Standards.
According to local reports, Chelmsford Magistrates Court has ordered Shelby's in Clarence Road, Grays, to shut for a full month.
Officers from Thurrock Trading Standards carried out the inspection at Shelby's at the start of April after concerns were raised that the shop was selling tobacco and vaping products to underage children.
During their search, which was assisted a tobacco-detecting dog, officers found over 22,000 illegal cigarettes and more than 250 illegal vapes.
As well as the one-month closure order the shop owner has had to give a legal undertaking to Chelmsford Magistrates Court promising not to sell illicit tobacco or vapes and not to allow underage sales at the premises.
