Vapes and alcohol seized in underage sales crackdown

Image source, Lancashire County Council

Image caption, Some of the vapes that were seized in the test purchasing crackdown

More than 590 illegal vapes have been seized after shops were caught selling to underage children.

Lancashire Trading Standards tested businesses in Rossendale, Fleetwood, South Ribble, Preston and Fylde.

Volunteers aged between 13 and 16 bought alcohol or vapes at eight of the 49 businesses tested.

Police handed out penalty notices for the alcohol sales and Trading Standards is considering what action to take over the vapes.

A Trading Standards representative said during the operation, which took place over the Easter period, four out of 13 premises tested sold vapes, four out of 35 premises tested sold alcohol, and one shop was tested for cigarette sales but did not sell any.

Trading Standards manager Angela Lomax said although they were "pleased that the vast majority of the businesses that were tested did not sell to the volunteers, we are still disappointed that eight still chose to sell alcohol and vapes to children".

"A robust Check 25 policy is the best way for businesses to eliminate sales to underage customers," she said.

"We encourage anyone who has concerns about the sale of any age-restricted products to report these to Trading Standards."

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