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 worth up to £330,000 on the street. The massive haul came after a tip-off from local residents who suspected the shop was selling banned products. Officers from Oldham Council, Greater Manchester Police, and Rochdale Trading Standards raided the premises last week and confiscated 37,150 disposable vapes that have been illegal to sell since last year.

Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said the seizure sends a clear message that the council won't tolerate businesses putting profit before community safety. The disposable vape ban was introduced to protect young people from easy access to nicotine products and to reduce the environmental damage caused by single-use vapes. The shop involved cannot be named as investigations continue, but the seized items will be used as evidence in a...

This operation is part of a wider crackdown across Greater Manchester, where single-use vapes have been banned from sale both online and in shops since June 2025. Oldham Council is now asking residents to help by reporting any suspicious vape shops to [email protected]. The council says public tip-offs are crucial for identifying illegal traders who continue to put young people at risk and harm the environment.