More than a million illegal vapes were seized by Trading Standards in 2023/2024, new data released today from National Trading Standards (NTS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) show.
A joint initiative named Operation Joseph has tracked over 1.19 million illegal vapes removed from sale across England, a 59 per cent increase in the number seized compared to the previous year. The products seized failed to meet basic UK safety standards, with most containing excess nicotine levels.
New data also shines a spotlight on sales of vapes to children. In Q4 2023-24, almost a quarter (24 per cent) of the 775 test purchases conducted in-person by Trading Standards resulted in illegal sales to under 18s.
Meanwhile, Operation CeCe — a joint initiative between NTS and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) running since 2021 — continues to disrupt the illicit tobacco trade. In 2023-24, over 19 million illicit cigarettes and more than 5,103 kg of hand-rolling tobacco worth £11.7 million were seized by Trading Standards. Since the operation started three years ago, 46 million illicit cigarettes and 12,600kg of hand-rolling tobacco have been seized, disrupting the illegal trade which undermines efforts to drive down smoking rates – including taxation policies.
“The protection of communities, public health and the safeguarding of honest businesses who are struggling to compete with the flood of illegal products lies at the heart of what Trading Standards does,” said Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards.
“Trading Standards has seized nearly 1.2 million illegal vapes and more than £26 million worth of illicit tobacco so far. But the reality is further action is necessary to remove more illegal – and in many cases dangerous – products from sale.
“Illicit tobacco undermines legitimate retailers, funds wider crime, and harms public health while depriving our vital public services of around £2.2 billion a year,” said Richard Las, Director, HMRC Fraud Investigation Service.
“We will continue to work with partners like trading standards to tackle this organised criminal trade that harms our communities. These criminals don’t care who they sell to including children.
“We urge anyone with information about the smuggling, distribution or sale of illicit tobacco to report it online.”
Kate Pike, Lead Officer for Tobacco and Vaping for the Chartered Trading Standards Institute said: “Trading Standards officers recognise that it is really important that adult smokers are able to switch to legal compliant vaping products which carry a fraction of the risk of their lethal tobacco habit. These figures show we are working incredibly hard to remove illegal vapes from our communities and to support businesses not to sell to children. We encourage anyone with information about businesses ignoring the law to report to us so we can continue to target our enforcement resources most effectively.”
Speaking on behalf of the government, Andrew Gwynne, Minister for Public Health and Prevention added: “This shows just how many illegal and harmful vapes are on our streets, putting consumers and children at risk. To further crack down on illicit trade of tobacco products and vapes, we are investing an extra £10 million to keep these harmful products out of the hands of kids.
“The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement activity, allowing Trading Standards to take swifter action to enforce the law, including on non-compliant products, and closing loopholes.”
