20/03/2025 - Permalink

Shrewsbury shop director fined for illegal vape and tobacco sales

Related topics: Public protection

The director of a Shrewsbury shop has been ordered to pay £3775 for the illegal sale of vapes and tobacco.

In Telford Magistrates Court on Monday 17 March 2025, Sabah A Hama-Ali of E Vape Shop Ltd on High Street pleaded guilty to eight offences relating to the supply of:

  • disposable electronic cigarettes which had excessive tank capacities.
  • hand rolling tobacco which failed to comply with labelling requirements (no health warnings in English).

The prosecution was brought by Shropshire Council following investigations by the council’s trading standards team.

Mr Hama-Ali was ordered to pay fines of £1268, a victims surcharge of £507 and costs of £2,000. The total amount payable was £3775.

31 non-compliant vapes were seized, concealed behind legitimate stock

Grant Tunnadine, trading standards team leader with Shropshire Council, said:

“The sale of these illicit vapes and tobacco undermines the legitimate market and poses a potential danger to users who may not be aware of the nicotine content or the ingredients of these products.

“We will not hesitate to take action against traders who ignore the law and we urge anyone who has concerns about illegal products to report them to us.”

Matters relating to offences by the limited company (E Vape Shop Ltd) were adjourned until June.

A large quantity of tobacco products were concealed above an internal doorway.

Officers from Shropshire Council’s trading standards service visited the premises, E Vape Shop Ltd at 2 High Street, Shrewsbury, on four occasions. The offences to which Mr Hama-Ali pleaded guilty relate to:

  • 20 December 2023 – 115 non-compliant vapes were seized
  • 18 March 2024 – 260 non-compliant vapes were seized, along with a large quantity of tobacco products which were concealed in a hide above an internal doorway (see photo).
  • 10 July 2024 – 31 non-compliant vapes were seized (concealed behind legitimate stock – see photo)
  • 21 August 2024 – another 12 non-compliant vapes seized from behind legitimate stock