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Wolverhampton retailer prosecuted for selling vapes to underage

Wolverhampton store fined for selling illegal vapes to minors

Illicit and noncompliant vapes seized from Wardak Supermarket in Lea Road

Image from City Of Wolverhamton Council
Pooja Shrivastava
By Pooja ShrivastavaJun 21, 2025
Pooja Shrivastava
A passionate journalist with about a decade of experience, Pooja has developed a strong hold on the UK grocery retail sector. From exploring legislative changes, supply chain shifts, consumer buying habits, trends to retail crime, her work is driven by a deep belief in investigating, finding the truth and telling authentic unbiased stories. Be it convenience pathbreakers, wholesale trendsetters or Post Office Horizon scandal victims, Pooja has an equal flair for deciphering industries as well as human complexities. At Asian Trader, she aims to bridge the gap between policy, trade, and the shop floor, always keeping a finger on the pulse of what matters most to retailers.
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Key Summary

  • Wolverhampton store owner fined for selling vapes to underage teens.
    •  
  • Illegal vapes seized during inspection.
    •  
  • Owner pleaded guilty and introduced new safeguards.

    • The owner of a convenience store in Wolverhmapton has been prosecuted by City of Wolverhampton Council for selling vapes to underage customers.

    Abdul Qadir Davoodi, owner of Wardak Supermarket in Lea Road, made the illegal sales during tw test purchases.

    He pleaded guilty to four charges under Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, one charge under the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 and one charge under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

    Davoodi was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay court costs of £4,500 and a victim surcharge of £1,000. Dudley Magistrates Court also made a forfeiture and destruction order against the items seized.

    Trading Standards officers at the council originally received a complaint that Wardak Supermarket, also known as Lifestyle Express, was selling single cigarettes of foreign origin to children.

    A covert test purchase was organised and in July 2023, a 17 year old volunteer was illegally sold a disposable e-cigarette/vape by Davoodi. A second covert test purchase was carried out a year later when another 17 year old volunteer was again illegally sold an e-cigarette/vape.

    A follow-up inspection of the store by Trading Standards officers in August 2024 found 69 non compliant e-cigarettes/vapes under the counter. These products were seized.

    During the court hearing on 13 June, Davoodi told Dudley Magistrates that he had now put a new training regime in place for his staff, had installed CCTV and had put a refusals book system in place.

    Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for resident services, said: “This prosecution is the latest successful step in our efforts to protect city residents.

    “Our Trading Standards officers are taking firm action against shops that put young people at risk, we will not tolerate this type of behaviour in Wolverhampton.

    “As this prosecution shows, businesses need to be aware that selling age restricted products to underage customers can have serious consequences."

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