Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information covering up to 1 September 2025, and broken down by individual financial year where possible.
________________________________________
1. Seizures of Illegal Cigarettes, Tobacco & Vaping Products (Financial Years Up to 1 September 2025)
For the financial years 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 (financial year beginning 1 April 2025, up to 1 September 2025):
1. How many shops has your Trading Standards team seized illegal cigarettes, tobacco, or vaping products from?
If available, please break down the data by:
a. Estimated value (in GBP) of items seized
b. Total number of items seized
c. Product types seized (e.g., cigarettes, disposable vapes, e-liquids, rolling tobacco, nicotine pouches)
d. Type of shop (e.g., convenience store, newsagent, vape shop, car wash, discount store, phone shop, etc.)
Please see the table below:
| 1/4/2022 – 31/3/2023 | 1/4/2023 – 31/3/2024 | 1/4/2024 – 31/3/2025 | 1/4/2025 – 1/9/2025 | |
| Number of vapes seized from shops | 4908 | 5707 | 3102 | 2027 |
| Number of shops vapes seized from * | 25 | 20 | 22 | 11 |
| (20 x convenience stores, 1 x discount store, 1 x watch shop, 1 x phone shop, 1 x greengrocer) | (16 x convenience stores, 2 x newsagents, 1 x vape shop, 1 x discount store) | (21 x convenience stores, 1 x phone shop) | (7 convenience stores, 1 x sweet/vape shop, 3 x vape shops) | |
| Number of packs of cigarettes seized from shops | 24188 | 17073 | 9543 | 4948 |
| Number of shops cigarettes seized from * | 18 | 18 | 22 | 15 |
| (shop types not categorised) | (17 x convenience stores, 1 x car wash) | (21 x convenience stores, 1 x vape shop) | (13 convenience stores, 1 x sweet/vape shop, 1 x vape shop) | |
| Number of pouches of hand rolling tobacco seized from shops | 2097 | 1717 | 2203 | 838 |
| Number of shops hand rolling toacco seized from | 18 | 18 | 23 | 16 |
| (shop types not categorised) | (17 x convenience stores, 1 x car wash) | (22 x convenience stores, 1 x vape shop) | (14 convenience stores, 1 x sweet/vape shop, 1 x vape shop) | |
| * Some shops may have had items seized on more than one occasion | ||||
| The data given relates to the Heart of the South West Trading Standards area – which includes the areas covered by Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council, Somerset Council and Torbay Council. | ||||
2. Closure Orders Related to Illegal Products
For the same periods:
2. How many shops have been closed (temporarily or permanently) due to seizures of illegal cigarettes, tobacco, or vaping products?
Please specify:
a. Number of temporary closure orders, by financial year (all were 3 month closure orders)
2022/23 = 2
2023/24 = 1
2024/25 = 0
2025/26 (up to 1 Sept) = 7
The court orders were obtained by the Police, using evidence provided by us.
b. Number of permanent closures, specifying whether your Trading Standards service holds the power to impose these, or if such powers lie with district/unitary councils or the Police
None – Our Trading Standards Service does not have the power to apply for closure orders – applications can be made by district / unitary councils or the Police, using evidence provided by us.
c. If any shop has been closed more than once, indicating whether the most recent closure was temporary or permanent
N/A