I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information regarding the seizure of illegal disposable vapes by Trading Standards officers within your council. I am specifically interested in the number of seizures in the following time periods:
1. The number of illegal disposable vapes seized by Trading Standards officers between the period of 2020-2021.
2. The number of illegal disposable vapes seized by Trading Standards officers between the period of 2021-2022.
3. The number of illegal disposable vapes seized by Trading Standards officers up to the most recent month available in 2022-2023.
Please include any relevant details or classifications related to the seized items, such as brand names or types of illegal vapes.
| 1 Jan 2021 – 31 Dec 2021 | 1 Jan 2022 – 31 Dec 2022 | 1 Jan 2023 – 31 Dec 2023 |
| Not recorded | 2,009 units | 8,600 units |
We have seized vapes with brand markings (or purported brand markings where items were suspected as being counterfeits) including: Elux, R&M, Eyone, Hyatt, ENE, Vapeman, ProMax, Prime Bar, Twister and Lost Mary.
Please note information is not held prior to 1st Jan 2022. 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
Additionally, I am interested in the number of fines that have been given out to businesses/individuals selling illegal vapes:
1. How many fines were handed out by Trading Standard officers to people/businesses selling illegal vapes between the period of 2020-2021?
2. How many fines were handed out by Trading Standard officers to people/businesses selling illegal vapes between the period of 2021-2022.
3. How many fines were handed out by Trading Standards officers to people/businesses selling illegal vapes up to the most recent month available in 2022-2023?
4. What was the total amount of the fines handed out by Trading Standards officers to people/businesses selling illegal vapes between the period of 2020-2021?
5. What was the total amount of the fines handed out by Trading Standards officers to people/businesses selling illegal vapes between the period of 2021-2022?
6. What was the total amount of the fines handed out by Trading Standards officers to people/businesses selling illegal vapes up to the most recent month available in 2022-2023?
7. How many repeat offenders were fined on multiple occasions during the period 2020 up to the most recent month available in 2023?
Fines are not able to be issued by local authorities for this subject area therefore, we have not issued any such fines.