Inside the crackdown on illegal vapes and illicit tobacco

Police forces and councils across north-west England have shut vape shops and seized thousands of illegal items in the last year, new figures show.

BBC analysis found more than 30 premises have been closed over their links to illegal vapes and illicit tobacco.

The findings come after the Prime Minister announced plans to give councils greater powers to tackle rogue retailers and extend closure orders.

Authorities say the products can pose a risk to public health and are often linked to wider criminality.

In Greater Manchester, police and council officers seized thousands of illegal vapes and cigarettes as part of Operation Elswick, a joint campaign targeting rogue retailers.

In Manchester alone, officers removed £162,000 worth of illegal vapes from sale in the last year.

Det Ch Insp Chris Woodburn, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "Our work in this area will continue as we are committed to tackling the issue of illegal vapes and cigarettes which fund wider crime and harm public health."

Elsewhere, Bury Council obtained its first closure order against a shop after more than 3,000 vaping products were seized, while Rochdale recorded nine vape shop closures in the last six months.

Specialist dogs were part of the team searching premises in Operation Elswick [BBC]

Liverpool City Council said it had secured 10 closure orders in the past six months, although it stressed these were linked to corner shops selling illicit tobacco rather than vaping products alone.

In Wirral, Liscard Convenience Store became the 20th premises to be closed down since December 2025 after a closure order was granted by magistrates.

Lancashire Police worked with officers at the council to close down two shops in Lancaster [Lancashire Police]

In Lancashire, six vape shops have been closed and a further seven are currently being investigated.

Lancashire Police and Trading Standards recently secured closure orders against two Lancaster city centre retailers after a series of failed inspections and test purchases.

Euro Shop was found to have sold vapes to underage test purchasers as well as illicit cigarettes, while One Stop Mini Market repeatedly failed Trading Standards checks.

Both were ordered to close until November.

Supt Abbott, from Lancashire Police, said: "Securing a closure order is not a quick process.

"It often takes months of dedicated work by our officers and partners to gather evidence, build a strong case and present it before the courts.

"This result reflects the determination and professionalism of everyone involved in bringing these matters to a successful conclusion.

"We take the concerns of our communities seriously and listen to the information provided by residents, businesses and local partners.

"That information plays a vital role in helping us identify issues, gather evidence and take positive action where it is needed."

The ONS estimates that 5.4 million people aged 16+ in the UK used e-cigarettes daily [PA Media]

Cheshire Police has secured closure orders against 12 shops linked to illegal vape sales, including premises in Warrington, Widnes, Macclesfield, Crewe and Nantwich.

Ch Supt Saf Ali said the action should send "a clear message" that illegal tobacco and vape products have no place in the county's shops.

How is the government tackling it?

The crackdown on vape shops announced by the government in August includes the following proposals:

Changes to planning law in England which would mean every new shop selling e-cigarettes or vapes would need to apply to their local council for permission to open

Tightening the definition of a vape shop in England to prevent businesses avoiding the rules by describing themselves as a general convenience store or retailer

Requiring planning permission for new adult gaming centres in England, which offer 24-hour access to gambling machines

New powers to extend closure orders for mini-marts and vape shops in England and Wales found to be selling illegal tobacco for up to 12 months, something previously proposed by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

The suburb dubbed Britain's 'crazy vape shop capital'

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