Trading Standards Officers have seized over £24,000 worth of illegal disposable e-cigarettes and liquids from Herefordshire shops in the last three months.
The majority of the disposable products seized contained oversized tanks, with the most common type being 1500 and 3500 puff 'bars'. A 1500 puff bar is the equivalent of smoking approximately 125 cigarettes. Officers also seized a number of disposable vapes offering 12,000 puffs.
Marc Willimont, Head of Public Protection at Herefordshire Council said: "Our trading standards officers have been working on the basis of local and regional intelligence and in conjunction with several other leading councils on this countrywide initiative. We are therefore delighted with these recent seizures, as these products are illegal in the UK for good reason.
"If left unchecked on the market they would have encouraged many young people to become unnecessarily addicted to nicotine, which in these quantities can then easily lead them to turn to tobacco. Smoking tobacco remains one of the greatest public health challenges facing the UK, so it is important that we protect young people from any unnecessary risk."