A Gloucester shop owner has been fined more than £5,000 after being found guilty of selling illegal disposable vapes that breach legal nicotine limits.
Jamal Safarkhani, 47, from Park End Road, Gloucester, ran the One Stop Shop in Southgate Street. He was prosecuted following a Trading Standards investigation that took place between May and November 2024. The case was heard at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on 3 August.
Safarkhani pleaded guilty to four offences related to the possession, sale, and supply of electronic cigarettes containing nicotine liquid in quantities exceeding the maximum allowed by law.
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He received a fine of £307 for each charge, amounting to £1,228, alongside costs of £3,693 and a victim surcharge of £491. In total, Safarkhani was ordered to pay £5,412.
The investigation began on 30 May 2024, when a Trading Standards officer purchased a Hayati Pro Ultra 15,000+ puff vape from the shop. This product was found to contain two 12ml oil tanks, whereas regulations stipulate that disposable electronic cigarettes must not exceed 2ml of nicotine liquid.
These limits, set out in the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, are designed to ensure product safety and protect consumers, particularly children and young people, from excessive nicotine exposure. Oversized tanks and high puff counts risk misleading users about their nicotine intake.
During an inspection on 6 June 2024, officers seized 103 illegal electronic cigarettes from the premises. Follow-up visits on 2 October and 1 November 2024 resulted in the confiscation of a further 41 and 120 illegal devices respectively.
In total, 264 illegal vapes were seized, in addition to the initial purchase made during the test buy.
“Illegal vapes are not a harmless breach of the rules. The legal limits exist to protect consumers and to help prevent products with excessive nicotine-containing liquid being sold in our communities,” said Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards at Gloucestershire County Council.
He added, “This enforcement aligns with the Government’s aim to reduce nicotine addiction. Our Trading Standards officers will continue to take action against businesses that flout these important regulations.”