In 2024, more than 30,000 illegal vape products were seized in Wales, UK, with Newport accounting for one-third. The number of seized products increased by 173% year-on-year. The industry is calling for the establishment of a retail and distribution licensing system to prevent the risk of a sharp increase in illegal products caused by the upcoming ban on disposable vapes.
Key points:
- The illegal vape market is growing rapidly: In 2024, over 30,000 illegal vape products were seized in Wales, UK, with an average of one seized every 20 minutes.
- Limited law enforcement: Only 12% of the violation cases were subject to store closure measures, raising concerns about insufficient law enforcement resources.
- The differences among cities are significant: Newport is a “disaster area”, with the number of seizures accounting for one-third of the total in Wales.
- The industry calls for institutional construction: The industry suggests establishing a retail and distribution licensing system to address the risk of market chaos following the upcoming ban on disposable vapes.
Over 30,000 illegal vapes seized in Wales, UK in 2024
According to a report by the Pembrokeshire Herald on April 22nd. The latest statistics show that over 30,000 illegal and unregulated vape products were seized in Wales, UK, throughout 2024, equivalent to one seized every 20 minutes.
Among all regions. Newport has the largest number of seized items. The Newport City Council seized 21,169 illegal products in 2024, an increase of 173% compared to 2023, accounting for one-third of the total seized items in all of Wales. The city has issued closure orders to 49 stores in the past three years.
Flintshire was the second largest area where illegal vapes were seized throughout the year, with a total of 4,545 products seized, a year-on-year increase of 170%. Carmarthenshire. Gwynedd and Blaenau Gwent followed, with 1,850, 721 and 607 products seized respectively.
The above data were obtained by the vape enterprise Vape Club submitting requests for Information Disclosure (FOI) to 108 local governments and were published in the “2025 Illegal vape Report”.
Enforcement rate of only 12%
In 2024, there were a total of 82 reports of illegal sales in Wales, with only 5 penalties issued and only 10 retailers ordered to suspend business. The enforcement rate was merely 12%. The problem of insufficient allocation of law enforcement resources has thus attracted much attention.
According to statistics, a total of 1.2 million illegal vapes were seized in the UK in 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of 44%. Which means an average of two cigarettes were seized every minute.
In response to this, industry insiders have called for the establishment of a “Vape Retailer and Distributor Licensing Scheme”.
The industry calls for institutional construction
Dan Marchant, the director of Vape Club, said that the current problem lies not in the absence of regulations but in the ineffective enforcement of laws and the lenient penalties. He pointed out that if the law enforcement mechanism is not strengthened before the ban on disposable vapes is about to be implemented (in June 2025). It may lead to a large number of untested illegal products flooding the market.
Marchant emphasized that a special fund mechanism must be established to support border law enforcement and market regulation. He suggested that the revenue from the licensing system should be exclusively used for law enforcement by the Border Force and the local Trading Standards Bureau to more effectively curb illegal trade and enhance the severity of penalties.
