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Stoke-on-Trent: illegal tobacco and vapes worth £50k seized

Stoke-on-Trent City Council Boxes of cigarettes on a shop floorStoke-on-Trent City Council
The goods had been concealed at business premises in Longton, says Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Illegal tobacco and vapes valued at £50,000 have been seized from a shop.

Counterfeit cigarettes and oversized vapes had been hidden at a retailer in Longton, said Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

They were discovered after trading standards officers got two fifteen-year-olds to try and buy a vape.

Despite being underage, the shop sold the vape to them, which was also 15 times the legal maximum tank size, added the authority.

Products seized from the retailer included 11 different brands of counterfeit cigarettes, and seven types of disposable vape which were oversized and had incorrect health warnings on the packaging.

The council was "deeply concerned" about the prevalence of illegal tobacco and vape sales within the community, particularly sales to underage shoppers, said Councillor Amjid Wazir.

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