Shop selling illegal vapes in Stockton is closed

A vape shop in Stockton has been closed after more than 1,000 illegal vapes were seized.

The shop received a three-month closure order of Amsterdam Vapes on Yarm Lane at Teesside Magistrates' Court on (Tuesday 11 June).

The Court heard Trading Standards officers from Stockton Borough Council visited the premises alongside Cleveland Police after complaints about illegal vapes being sold.

And this led to the seizure of 1,310 products, including 610 from a concealment at the shop.

Tests carried out confirmed that the vapes seized did not adhere to regulations and did not have the correct labelling or packaging.

Some contained 6ml of liquid nicotine, well above the maximum legal capacity of 2ml.

Test purchases carried out after the seizure also found illegal vapes being sold, as well as a further concealment containing 212 illegal vapes.

Chief Inspector Dan Heron, from Stockton's Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "Vapes have quickly become the currency for organised crime gangs and this is filtering into our schools. If we can cut off the finance for criminals then they cannot operate. The worrying factor is that those making the vapes will do so with the cheapest ingredients and with no regard to safety.

"I am immensely proud of local residents standing up and reporting their concerns. Our priority is always to keep protecting people in our community and to make the area a safer place to live and work.

"I would encourage members of the public to keep on reporting criminal activity, either by calling 101 or by visiting our website."

Carolyn Nice, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Director of Adults, Health and Wellbeing, said: "This closure order is the culmination of yet more great work from the Council's Trading Standards team alongside our partners at Cleveland Police.

"Illegal vapes are dangerous because it's not clear what they contain, so it is reassuring to know that these have been taken off the streets to be destroyed.

"This closure order shows that we take a zero tolerance approach and will continue to close down shops selling illegal vapes."