Thurrock Council's Trading Standards team has secured a closure notice against a Grays vape shop that was selling illegal vapes, and potentially selling vapes to underage customers.
Southend Magistrates granted the closure notice against Cloud City Vapes, Clarence Road, Grays, during a hearing on 24 May 2024.
During a test purchase the shop not only failed to ask an 18 year-old for ID, as they should have as part of the Challenge 25 scheme they had signed up to, they also sold them an illegal vape with a tank 3 times larger than is legally permitted. Tests on vapes labelled 'nicotine free' revealed they not only contained nicotine but that the levels of nicotine present was above the legal limit.
Officers seized around 10,000 vapes from the shop, which are estimated to be worth around £100,000. These vapes have been forfeited as Trading Standards' investigations continue.