MORE than 1.2million illegal vapes have been seized across the UK in the last year, shocking figures show. Unregulated devices could be packed full of "harmful chemicals" or contain dangerous levels of nicotine , experts warn.
Most dodgy e-cigarettes (431,005) were found in Kent, where 114,727 illicit cigarette packets were also discovered. "Many of these arrive through the Eurotunnel terminal and the Port of Dover," according to Vape Superstore , which carried out the research. This was closely followed by Anglesey in Wales, where 352,704 vapes were seized between January 2023 and February 2024.
In third place was Swansea with 154,737, then Lancashire with 54,985 and Hertfordshire with 16,062. But 20 of the 73 councils which responded to the freedom of information request reported no vape seizures at all. Top of the unlawful cigarette list was Carmarthenshire County Council, where police confiscated 160,000 packets.
The locations that made up the rest of the top 10 include Kent (144,727), Hertfordshire (96,823), Gloucestershire (56,845), Swansea (54,797), Warwickshire (46,255), Lancashire (31,779), Devon (31,233), Flintshire (22,032) and Lincolnshire (14,917). Lancashire County Council had the most businesses stocking black market vapes - a staggering 132 dubious shops in total, according to the data. Most read in Health PITCH PERFECT Moment Rangers hero spotted belting out his national anthem while waving flag JAY VIDEO CLUE Bombshell new vid shows missing Jay at Tenerife r.
