About 1.3 million illegal vapes with estimated street value of at least £10 million have been seized across the UK over the last year, states a recent report, uncovering the shocking statistics behind illicit vaping products on UK high streets.
According to ‘Illegal Vapes and Nicotine Product Report' by Vape Club, nearly 5 million (4,860,762) illegal vapes have been seized over the last 3 years, which hold an estimated street value of £39 million.
The area with the highest illegal vape seizures last year is Central Bedfordshire Council. In close proximity to Luton airport, it has seen over 345 thousand seized, the largest number of illicit vapes seized from their streets of anywhere in Britain over the last year.
Trade hubs continue to be targeted - Kent, Hillingdon, and Swansea - 55% of council areas right across the UK have seized thousands of illicit vapes off the high street last year, areas which have seen illegal activity stretch right across the UK from South Lanarkshire in Scotland, down to Dorset, and Lincolnshire and Cumberland in between.
According to the data, trade hubs are being targeted for illegal vape imports.
- Luton Airport - with its close proximity to Central Bedfordshire Council, a three-fold rise in local seizures follows a significant drop in illicit vape imports to Heathrow and seizures in the local Hillingdon area.
- North West regional supply chain hubs in Bolton - more than one in twenty businesses in the Bolton area are ‘Transportation And Storage’ (according to ONS data, accessed on Varbes).
- Port of Dover, Eurotunnel, and the parcel hub at Dartford - each within the Kent Council area, and named by the council as illicit vape hubs
- Heathrow airport - close proximity to Hillingdon and has seen the highest number of illegal vape seizures cumulatively over the last 3 years, though the number of seizures fell last year compared to the previous.
- Port of Swansea - Swansea remains in the top 5 areas for number of illicit vapes seized, despite a -73% drop in seizures
The East of England saw 390,083 illicit vapes seized, more than double what they saw in the previous year and the highest across the UK last year. This represents a 101% rise.
In the second highest region, the North West, there were 343,135 illicit vapes seized. This is a 54% increase compared to the previous year. The number is more than two fold higher than the regional average.
A similar increase was seen in Yorkshire and the Humber, where 42,880 illicit vapes were seized last year, a 43% increase compared to the previous year.
According to the report, unscrupulous retailers and illicit product gangs go to great lengths to hide illegal products from authorities, creating sophisticated hiding places.
Hull trading standards reported that sniffer dogs have detected from some highly concealed places like compartment inside a concrete drain, a delivery chute from an upstairs flat, a false mirror and a concrete floor safe with a hidden hydraulic lift.
Where else do illegal vape and cigarettes get hidden?
- A fake fridge with a hydraulic opening mechanism
- Electromagnetic loft hatches and hidden wall compartments
- Parked vehicles with hidden stashes
- A hydraulic lift which rose from the floor
- The inside of an electric butchering bone saw
- Secret tunnels dug underneath the shop
- Under floorboards
- A hidden compartment underneath a toilet