37,000 illegal vapes seized in Oldham crackdown

Trading standards officers have seized more than 37,000 illegal disposable vapes from a shop in Oldham as part of a major crackdown on illicit vaping products. The operation, carried out last week, involved teams from Oldham Council, Greater Manchester Police, and Rochdale Council working together to remove the banned items from sale.

The seized vapes will now be used as evidence in an ongoing enforcement and prosecution case against the business involved. This follows the UK-wide ban on disposable vapes introduced last year to protect children from nicotine addiction and reduce the environmental waste these single-use products create.

Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, warned that businesses selling illegal vapes are putting profit before community safety. She praised the swift action of trading standards officers and police, saying the council will continue working to enforce the law and keep residents safe.

Residents who know of shops selling illegal disposable vapes or are concerned about children accessing them are being urged to report it to [email protected]. The council says this kind of community intelligence helps target enforcement efforts where they're needed most.