A crackdown on illegal tobacco and vaping products has resulted in thousands of harmful products being taken off the market.
As part of ongoing work to tackle the sale of illegal and counterfeit products, Hounslow Council’s Trading Standards team, working in partnership with Met policing teams, carried out a series of test purchases across the borough, during which seven premises sold illegal tobacco to the Council’s undercover officer.
Illegal products were later seized from 16 premises in a series of raids in Chiswick, Feltham and Hounslow High Street:
- 4,859 illegal vapes with a market value of around £30,000
- 3,806 illegal cigarettes, with a market value of £3,000
- 16kg of shisha
- 11 kg of chewing tobacco
The vapes seized were found to exceed the legal tank size and nicotine strength limits, or were unregistered and illegal for sale in the UK.
Seized tobacco and vape products
Disposable vapes have been banned in the UK since the introduction of the Single Use Vape ban on 1 June 2025. Selling disposable vapes now carries a fine of £200 for the first offence and unlimited fines and imprisonment of up to two years for repeat offenders.
Investigations into these businesses are ongoing and appropriate enforcement action will be considered once enquiries are complete.
Cllr Rajawat with a sniffer dog, police officers and members of the enforcement team
Councillor Pritam Grewal, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement at Hounslow Council, said:
The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes is a serious issue that harms our communities and puts the health of our residents at risk. These products are unregulated, unsafe, and can cause young people to become addicted to nicotine.
Our Trading Standards team is working tirelessly to protect residents and ensure local businesses trade responsibly. We will continue to take firm action against those who seek to profit at the expense of public health and community safety.
Illegal, unregulated tobacco and vapes can contain unknown and harmful substances, including excessive levels of tar and nicotine, and contaminants like lead and arsenic.
Often produced in unhygienic conditions, and sold at pocket-money prices, these products make it easier for young people to start smoking or vaping and harder for others to quit.
Counterfeit cigarettes can also pose a greater fire risk as they often lack the self-extinguishing safety features of legitimate products.
Seized tobacco and vape products
Profits from the trade in illegal vapes and tobacco sales can help fund organised criminal activity, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
The illegal tobacco trade also deprives public services of vital funding through tax revenue generated by the legal sale of vapes and tobacco.
Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious sales of tobacco or vapes.
Members of the council s enforcement team with partner organisations and Council Leader Cllr Shantanu Rajawat
If you suspect someone is selling illegal products, you can report it to Hounslow Trading Standards or anonymously via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
Suspected tobacco fraud can also be reported to HMRC on 0800 788 887 or through the ‘Report Fraud HMRC’ service on GOV.UK.
