Tens of thousands of illicit vapes are being confiscated every month in police raids across the country.
These non-compliant vapes pose a significant health risk to consumers. As they bypass stringent safety and quality standards, they can contain wildly fluctuating nicotine levels, far exceeding the legal limit, and some have even been found to harbour a cocktail of harmful chemicals, including heavy metals and additives.
An estimated one-third of vapes currently sold in the UK are believed to be non-compliant and the situation is expected to worsen following the impending disposable vape ban in 2025, as unscrupulous retailers may turn to the black market to maintain their profits.
To shed light on this burgeoning crisis, Vape Superstore conducted a comprehensive investigation into the scale and regional distribution of illegal vape sales.
Through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, they analysed data from UK councils across the country on the number of businesses selling illicit vapes and cigarettes and the volume of seized products between January 1st, 2023, and February 29th, 2024.
Areas with the highest number of illegal vapes seized by UK councils
Kent County Council seized more illegal vapes than any UK council, counting 431,005 in total. Many of these arrive through the Eurotunnel terminal and the Port of Dover.
Isle of Anglesey County Council placed second with a total of 352,704 and Swansea Council were in third with 154,737 seized.
Hover over the counties on the map below to see how many illicit vapes were seized from January 1st, 2023 to February 29th, 2024.
Areas with the most shops stocking illegal vapes reported by UK councils
The Vape Superstore report reveals Lancashire as the UK county with the highest number of businesses implicated in the illegal vape trade, with 132 reported cases.
Kent and Hertfordshire follow closely behind, with 85 and 83 businesses respectively linked to the sale of illegal vapes. The issue is not confined to England, however, with the Welsh capital Cardiff reporting 79 such cases.
View the full data below on the interactive map.
Areas with the largest number of illegal cigarettes seized by UK councils
It’s not just illegal vapes that are being seized in their thousands across the country, the illicit tobacco trade is also thriving. Carmarthenshire has emerged as a hotspot, with authorities confiscating a staggering 160,000 illegal cigarette packets. This is the highest figure nationwide.
Kent (144,727), Hertfordshire (96,823), and Gloucestershire (56,845) follow closely behind, each confiscating tens of thousands of illicit cigarettes.
See the full scale of numbers using the visual map below.
Commenting on the findings from the report David Phillips from Vape Superstore said:
“Vaping can be an effective way to quit smoking, but the influx of illegal vapes into the market has created a dangerous black market that consumers aren’t always aware of.”
“Our study shows that the illegal vape black market is a big concern across the UK, but particularly in
areas like Kent, Lancashire, Anglesey and Swansea – to name a few. With raised awareness about the dangers of these products, we believe that consumers will be able to make better informed purchasing decisions in the future”.
What makes certain vape products illegal?
Vapes should only be legally sold to those over 18, but the cheaper price of illegal products is particularly
attractive to children.
UK laws also cover the ingredients, strength of nicotine and capacity of tanks. Some of the recovered
illegal vape products had a liquid capacity of 14ml, which is seven times the legal limit.
Studies of illegal vapes discovered high levels of dangerous chemicals such as lead, nickel and
chromium.
How to make sure you are buying legal vapes
Here are some quick tips to ensure that you never make the mistake of buying a counterfeit or illegal vape product:
- Check for authenticity
- Look for well-known brands
- Be wary of unusually low prices
- Ask the retailer to provide proof of TPD compliance
- Stay informed with the latest regulations and safety guidelines
For more comprehensive advice, read our guide on ‘How to spot an illegal vape in the UK’.
