About 400 vapes seized in Ipswich in crackdown after single-use ban

A crackdown has seen about 400 illegal vapes seized in Ipswich after a ban came into effect last week.

Suffolk Police joined Suffolk Trading Standards for an operation yesterday, where they attended seven premises across the town.

On Sunday, a Government ban on single-use vapes came into effect, in a bid to reduce waste from them being dumped.

Of the seven businesses visited, four were still stocking disposable vapes.

Officers seized about 400 in total from these shops.

The punishments for stocking illegal vapes are an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.

A spokesman for Suffolk Trading Standards said: “As an intelligence-led service, we monitor complaint levels and will continue to target those premises that cause the highest levels of concern.

“We will continue to carry out inspections, seize non-compliant products and take further enforcement action as necessary.

“We hope that this new legislation will reduce the supply of illegal vapes, including to children.”