Illegal Disposable Vapes - Find a freedom of information request

Illegal Disposable Vapes

1. How many businesses were found to sell illegal vapes in 2022?

2. How many businesses were found to sell illegal vapes in 2023?

3. How many businesses were repeat offenders during the period 2022-2023?

4. How many businesses did Trading Standards recommend for prosecution in 2022?

5. How many businesses did Trading Standards recommend for prosecution in 2023?

6. How many businesses that were recommended for prosecution by Trading Standards received fines in the courts in 2022?

7. How many businesses that were recommended for prosecution by Trading Standards received fines in the courts in 2023? 

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. 15

2. 27

3. 8

4. 3

5. 3

6. 1

7. 5

Please note:

Lincolnshire Trading Standards do not issue fines to businesses distributing non-compliant vapes, such as on the spot penalty notices. Fines would be issued through criminal cases taken through the courts by Lincolnshire Trading Standards.

Other offences may be taken into account at the same time, such as illegal cigarettes/tobacco. Furthermore, criminal prosecutions are not the only enforcement route followed for sellers of non-compliant vapes. Warning notices, cautions, closure orders, etc, are all other available outcomes within our enforcement policy, which takes account of previous history.

The above is just those that have been through the courts and resulted in a fine. In addition to this there were 3 closure orders issued in 2022 for business involved in the supply of non-compliant vapes and 10 closure orders and a further 2 Home Office Cautions issued in 2023. Six cases are pending a decision to prosecute