A Belfast shop owner was fined for obstructing council officers investigating illegal vape sales at his store
Belfast: So, there’s this shop owner, James Elwood, who got into a bit of trouble. He was found guilty of blocking council officers who were checking out complaints about dodgy vapes at his shop, Titanic Vapour.
In court, he ended up with a £250 fine and had to cough up an extra £73 in costs. This all went down at Belfast Magistrates Court on January 7.
The council officers had visited his shop back in November 2023 after hearing some complaints. They were trying to figure out if the vapes being sold were actually safe and legal.
While they were looking around, they found some vapes that seemed a bit off. But Mr. Elwood didn’t make it easy for them and obstructed their investigation.
Fast forward to March 2024, and his shop got hit with a five-week ban on selling tobacco and nicotine products, including e-cigarettes. The council took action after finding he wasn’t following the rules.
Illicit vapes are a big deal because they can be unsafe and don’t always meet UK safety standards. They might have illegal ingredients or too much nicotine, which is a serious health risk, especially for kids.
If you’re on the lookout for vapes, it’s good to check how many puffs they offer. The max tank size is 2ml, which gives you about 600-650 puffs. And remember, the packaging should have clear health warnings and the manufacturer’s details.
