Shops fined for selling alcohol and vapes to children

Several businesses in Tower Hamlets have been fined a total of over £16,000 for selling alcohol and vapes to underage customers. These fines followed prosecutions by the council after test purchase operations by their Trading Standards team in August and December 2023 and February 2024.

Prosecutions

August 2023

Raj Singh Jani of Old Ford Supermarket sold a can of Malibu (5 per cent ABV) to a 15-year-old. He was fined £1,500, with additional costs and a victim surcharge totalling £3,828.

December 2023

A grape-flavoured Elf Bar vape was sold to a 14-year-old at Shisha and Candy. The company was fined £230, while the director, Mr. Muhammed Dilwar Hussain faced a separate fine of £207. Mr. Hussain was also fined for failing to display a tobacco age restriction notice. The seller, Mr. Shahadat Hossain, was fined £650.

February 2024

Vapes and Nicotine were illegally sold to 15-year-olds at several locations including:

• CM Newsagents’ Mr. Dulal Uddin was fined £400 and ordered to pay £740 in costs and a £160 victim surcharge. The company was fined £160, ordered to pay £740 in costs and a £64 victim surcharge.
• iFix’s Mr. Mohammed Belal was fined £400 for the offence, ordered to pay £740 in costs and a £160 victim surcharge. The company was fined £160, ordered to pay £740 in costs and a £64 victim surcharge.
• Bismilla Halal Sweet and Ice Cream’s Mr. Sufian Ahmed received a six-month conditional discharge. The company was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1609 in costs and a £400 victim surcharge
•  Saz Clouds Ltd was fined £3,000 for selling a vape containing more than the legal 2ml limit of nicotine liquid. The company was also ordered to pay £900 in costs and a £1200 victim surcharge.

Councillor Shafi Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, said:

"We are committed to protecting the health and safety of our young people. It's crucial to crack down on this activity because it contributes to crime in our communities. That's why our Trading Standards Officers take a proactive approach to disrupting this illegal trade. It also harms legitimate businesses that are operating within the law. These prosecutions send a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses flouting the law."