Raja Brothers: Leeds corner shop fined for 'irresponsible' sale of an electronic cigarette to child aged 15

West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS) sent a 15-year-old test purchaser to Raja Brothers on Lodge Lane on January 5 this year to try and purchase an e-cigarette after receiving complaints about the premises selling them to minors.

The company who operate the business, E & G Ltd, was found guilty of the sale of an electronic cigarette to a child under the age of 18 on August 22. A representative did not attend the hearing at Kirklees Magistrates Court and the company was fined £1,000, with a victim surcharge of £400 and costs awarded of £2,134.

Following the sale a director of the company, Naheem Ejaz, attended an interview and stated that the seller - Nadim Ejaz - was not employed by the business and had received no training.

Ejaz from Leeds pleaded guilty to the sale at court and was fined £120 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £48.

The case was launched after WYTS received complaints about the premises selling electronic cigarettes to underage children. On January 5 a 15-year-old volunteer entered the shop, under the supervision of a trading standards officer and bought a watermelon flavoured Elf Bar 600 without being challenged about their age or asked for ID.

During an interview Ejaz said that the sale was a mistake and added that he was covering for a family member who had gone to Friday Prayers. He said he was not employed by Raja Brothers, but did work occasional shifts. He had not received any training but had worked in the shop for ten years.

David Strover, Head of Trading Standards said: “We wrote to this business to make them aware of a complaint we had received and informed them a test purchase may follow.

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We would advise business owners to ensure they ask for identification for all younger customers who look under 25, as we do make regular test purchases to investigate complaints about underage sales from members of the public.”

Councillor Pauleen Grahame, a member of the West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee which oversees the work of trading standards said: “It is clearly irresponsible not to check the age of teenage customers wanting to purchase age restricted goods.”

Consumers wishing to report illegal trading practices, including the sale of age restricted goods to children can call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 to report their concerns - this can be done anonymously.