Illegal vapes: Shops in Halifax, Todmorden and Sowerby Bridge fined by court for selling vapes to a child

The traders all appeared before Bradford Magistrates Court yesterday (Thursday) charged with selling an e-cigarette to a 15-year-old.

West Yorkshire Trading Standards Services, who had sent the teen into the shops as part of a test purchasing operation, said two of the traders also sold vapes that were illegal for sale as they contained more than the permitted 2ml of nicotine liquid.

The businesses were known to trading standards as complaints had been received about the sale of e-cigarettes to kids.

AA Car Care Ltd, trading as Car Care of 26 Burnley Road in Todmorden, pleaded guilty to offences under the Children and Families Act 2014.

The company was ordered to pay costs of £1,088.20, a fine of £1,600 and a victim surcharge of £640.

The seller, Aminul Islam, was ordered to pay costs of £1,088.20, a fine of £242 and a victim surcharge of £97.

The seller sold a Sweet Strawberry Geek Bar that contained nicotine for £4, without asking for identification or challenging his age.

Mr Islam said he was distracted during the sale as he was packing online orders and trying to keep an eye on the CCTV as he was worried that someone in the shop was going to steal something.

Sabhi Singh Dhadda, trading as Towngate Stores of 18 Towngate in Sowerby Bridge, pleaded guilty to committing offences under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

He was ordered to pay costs of £2,214.80, a fine of £525 and a victim surcharge of £210.

The seller sold a Vimto Elux 3500 electronic cigarette for £11, without asking for identification or challenging his age.

Elux 3500 have a tank size of 10ml – five times the legal limit.

Mr Dhadda was interviewed later and said that there are no written procedures and no formal training, but he does tell his staff not to sell to anyone under the age of 18.

Arshad Rashid, the director of YSL Trading Ltd – trading as Mad Labels of 20 to 22 Crown Street in Halifax, pleaded guilty to committing offences under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

The company was ordered to pay costs of £440.96, a fine of £673 and a victim surcharge of £269.

Mr Rashid was ordered to pay costs of £440.96, a fine of £144 and a victim surcharge of £58.

The seller sold a Cotton Candy Elux 3500 electronic cigarette to the volunteer for £10, without asking for identification or challenging his age.

Mr Rashid was interviewed later and read out a prepared statement. He said that he took over Mad Labels when the previous business went into liquidation in July 2022. On the day of the sale, he said that he was not present and had staff running the business for him.

David Strover, from West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, said: “The flagrant sale of vapes to children just should not be happening within our communities.

"The health risks associated with juvenile use of vapes should not be underestimated.”