Businesses prosecuted for selling vapes to kids

Stockport Trading Standards have successfully prosecuted two shopkeepers for sales of e-cigarettes to a 14-year-old Trading Standards volunteer.

On 27th March 2023 at Tameside Magistrates Court, Mr Ahmed Ezat Jalili plead guilty to an illegal sale made by an employee at his shop Stockport Convenience, Heaton Lane, Stockport in July 2022. 

The sale was made despite the volunteer saying she didn’t have any age identification, in response to the seller asking.

The owner, Mr Jalili, pleaded guilty for himself and the company Stockport Convenience Limited (now under new ownership).

Mr Jalili was sentenced to a 12-month Conditional Discharge. He and the company were ordered to pay a fine, prosecution costs and victim surcharges totalling £1100.

On 11th September at Tameside Magistrates Court, Mr Syed Nasir Raza Shah plead guilty to an illegal sale made by him at Pound Hut, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport in January 2023.  

Mr Shah failed to ask the volunteer for any age identification and removed the packaging from the e-cigarette during the transaction.   Moments later he denied having made the sale despite this having been witnessed by Trading Standards.

He continued the deceit until eventually entering guilty pleas for both him and the company behind the shop, Amafhha Traders Limited. 

The matter was adjourned for sentencing at Stockport Magistrates Court on 1st November 2023.

Advisory letters and visits had taken place prior to the test purchase visits.

Councillor Frankie Singleton, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture & Sport, said: “We are committed to protecting our young people and we will do all we can to prosecute those who break the law in this way. We will not hesitate to take robust action to bring the perpetrators to justice, as this case demonstrates.”