Seizures of illegal vapes in the first four months of the year were seven times as high as in the whole of 2021.
Research found the UK has been flooded with two million illicit e-cigarettes since the beginning of last year. Local leaders have called for a stronger crackdown on counterfeit vapes, with usage surging among children and adults.
London, the South East and North West were the top three regions for counterfeit vape seizures, according to the analysis. The findings, uncovered through freedom of information requests sent to 167 local authorities by VapeClub, raise concerns about a booming black market selling products that do not comply with UK regulations and have not been through appropriate safety testing.
