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Ipswich store owner Jawad Qazikhani, of The Orange Shop in Norwich Road, fined for selling vapes to those underage




A shop owner in Ipswich has been fined after his business was caught selling vapes to under-18s.

Jawad Qazikhani, director of Anis Trading Ltd, which trades as The Orange Shop, in Norwich Road, has been ordered to pay nearly £6,000 after he admitted breaching the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015.

Suffolk Trading Standards launched an investigation into the store in May last year.

The Orange Shop in Norwich Road was caught selling vapes to underage children. Picture: Google
The Orange Shop in Norwich Road was caught selling vapes to underage children. Picture: Google

During the course of the operation, the store sold a Bloody Mary Watermelon Ice vape to someone under the age of 18, Suffolk Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.

After this, Qazikhani was interviewed and the business was given guidance and advice on age-restricted products.

The court heard how he was also handed a written warning.

In September the business was tested again with a further underage sales operation and vapes were sold for a second time.

Graham Crisp, director of Suffolk Trading Standards, said Qazikhani was now ‘reaping the consequences’ for continuing to sell vapes to children despite warnings.

“The legislation is there to protect young people, and traders who seek to exploit them for commercial gain can expect us to take action,” he said.

“I would like to thank Suffolk Police, school staff, and members of the public for reporting their concerns about The Orange Shop to us.”

Qazikhani was fined £1,600 and ordered to pay £3,748 in costs, in addition to a victim surcharge of £640 – a total of £5,988.

Cllr Craig Rivett acknowledged the role vaping plays in helping people quit smoking – but described selling e-cigarettes to those underage to make money without thought of the consequences or impact to their health was ‘wholly wrong’.

He added: “There can be no excuse for selling vapes to underage people and I congratulate Suffolk Trading Standards for an operation that should serve as a warning to any trader tempted to do so.”