Sheikh General Store Beeston: Leeds shop worker slapped with fine after illegal e-cig sold to child
A shop worker has been slapped with a fine of more than £700 after an illegal e-cig was sold to a child in Leeds.
Allah Ditta Sheikh was sentenced after admitting that a 15-year-old was able to buy the disposable e-cigarette at Sheikh General Store in January.
The child had entered the shop in Beeston under the supervision of a Trading Standards officer.
After asking to buy a vape, the teenager was sold an ‘Elux Legend 3500 Puff Mr Blue’ disposable e-cigarette for £10 without being asked for identification or challenged.
West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service launched the case after receiving a complaint from a member of the public that the business was selling vapes to children.
While it is already an offence to sell electronic cigarettes containing nicotine to a person under the age of 18, the electronic cigarette itself was illegal as it was oversized, containing more than the permitted 2ml of nicotine liquid.
Sheikh was interviewed and took full responsibility for the sale, accepting he was aware that disposable e-cigarettes containing nicotine should not be sold to under 18s.
However, he was not aware of the maximum volume permitted for disposable e-cigarettes.
Sheikh said that he has since implemented a series of age verification measures in the store and put up signage to remind customers about the age restriction on purchasing e-cigarettes. He also stated that he has destroyed his stock of over-sized electronic cigarettes.
Appearing for sentencing at Kirklees Magistrates Court last Thursday (November 28), Sheikh pleaded guilty to offences under the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 and the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.
The magistrates handed Sheikh a fine of £733, and he was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £293 as well as costs of £840, totalling £1,866.
David Strover, Head of Trading Standards and Business Services, said: “The sale of vapes to children should not be happening within our communities.
“The business was previously warned that complaints had been received, and that a test purchase may follow.
“Retailers must ensure they implement rigorous systems to avoid the selling of vapes to minors, and staff must be trained accordingly.
“I would encourage everyone to report illegal sales, including partners and members of the public, to reduce the harm caused by vapes and tobacco in our communities.”
Coun Pauleen Grahame, 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.
“Test purchases are undertaken regularly by Trading Standards staff to ensure shops adhere to the law on vapes, tobacco and alcohol sales.
“The simple task of asking for identification and verifying the age of younger customers will help to reduce underage vaping and tobacco use.”