Thousands of illegal vaping devices worth about £50,000 seized from a shop in Luton, UK

The trading standards department seized around 4,000 smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes and electronic cigarettes from a shop in Luton.

A shop in the city center (the name cannot be disclosed by the council) was raided by the trading standards department and Bedfordshire Police on December 20. Counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco, as well as illegal electronic cigarettes, were found in an upstairs apartment, with an estimated market value of £50,000.

Maria Lovell, the councillor responsible for trading standards, stated: "The sale of illegal tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and shisha is often linked to broader organized crime activities, so we have good reason to remain vigilant. This also poses a risk to public health, particularly concerning the fact that illegal electronic cigarettes and tobacco are often sold to students under the age of 18."