#cllrcenphillips — Public Fediverse posts
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Vape shop shut down after illegal stock and cannabis seized in Port Talbot
Mr. Vape, on Station Road, was hit with a closure order at Swansea Magistrates Court after repeated reports of suspicious and illegal activity — including claims the shop was selling illicit products to children.
Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards Team said the business had been linked to counterfeit and non‑tax‑paid tobacco, illegal cigarettes and oversized vapes. During a search in late 2025, officers seized illegal cigarettes, tobacco and a quantity of cannabis.
A District Judge approved the closure under Section 80 of the Anti‑Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. The shop’s owner did not attend the hearing.
The crackdown follows the UK‑wide ban on single‑use disposable vapes, which became illegal to sell on 1 June 2025.
Cllr Cen Phillips, Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, said:
“Trading Standards work hard at protecting the public and the vulnerable from illegal tobacco and vape sales. Considerable work has gone into obtaining these closure orders, and the team will continue to use the resources at their disposal to combat this illegal trade.
I would urge anyone who cares about their community and their children’s health to report any information they have relating to illegal tobacco or vape sales.”
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Taibach vape shop shut down after selling illegal cigarettes and vapes
Trading Standards close another premises after uncovering illicit tobacco and oversized vapes.Council wins vape shop closure order
A court grants a closure order following reports of illegal vape sales to young people.Illegal disposable vapes seized from Neath Port Talbot shops
Hundreds of banned single‑use vapes removed from local stores in a joint operation.Nine Swansea vape shops shut down in major crackdown on illegal sales
#CllrCenPhillips #counterfeitCigarettes #illegalCigarettes #illegalTobacco #illegalVapes #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #PortTalbot #TradingStandards #vapes
A city‑wide enforcement sweep sees multiple shops closed over illicit products. -
Four Neath Port Talbot vape shops shut down in crackdown on illegal sales
A District Judge at Swansea Magistrates Court approved three‑month closure orders against:
- Vape Land, Commercial Road, Taibach
- Vape Zone, Queen Street, Neath
- Classic Vape, Station Road, Port Talbot
- Pontardawe Vape, James Street, Pontardawe
It is the second time in six months that Vape Land has been issued with a closure order.
Pattern of illegal sales
The court heard that test purchases and inspections over the past two years had repeatedly found counterfeit cigarettes, non‑tax‑paid tobacco and oversized or non‑compliant vapes on sale.
In September, joint inspections by South Wales Police, Neath Port Talbot Council Trading Standards and Waste Enforcement Officers led to seizures of vapes, leaf tobacco and cigarettes. Further complaints were also received about sales to under‑18s.
Despite being notified of the council’s intention to apply for closure orders, the owners of Vape Land, Vape Zone and Pontardawe Vape did not attend their hearings. Classic Vape’s new owner contested the application, but the judge accepted the council’s evidence that the business had changed hands repeatedly following inspections.
What Trading Standards do
Trading Standards teams work to protect consumers and communities by tackling illegal, unsafe or unfair trading practices. Their work includes:
- Carrying out test purchases to check if shops sell age‑restricted products like tobacco, alcohol or vapes to under‑18s
- Inspecting premises for counterfeit or non‑compliant goods
- Seizing unsafe or illegal products, including oversized or disposable vapes
- Taking enforcement action through the courts, including closure orders
- Advising businesses on compliance with consumer protection laws
Residents can report concerns about illegal sales to their local council’s Trading Standards team.
Wider crackdown
The closures come just days after Swansea Magistrates extended closure orders on vape shops in the city, underlining a wider regional clampdown on illegal sales.
Since June 2025, the sale of disposable single‑use vapes has been banned across the UK. The ban was introduced to tackle environmental concerns and to protect children and young people, with many illicit products found in child‑appealing packaging and flavours.
Council response
Cllr Cen Phillips, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, said:
“Trading Standards work hard at protecting the public and the vulnerable from illegal tobacco and vape sales. Considerable work has gone into obtaining these closure orders, and the team will continue to use the resources at their disposal to combat this illegal trade.”
He urged residents to report any information about illegal tobacco or vape sales to the council.
More on Trading Standards
From vape shop closures to counterfeit goods crackdowns, our Trading Standards coverage follows the teams working to protect communities across South West Wales.
Browse all Trading Standards stories →
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