#tradingstandards — Public Fediverse posts

Rogue landscape gardener jailed for fraudulent trading across three counties https://www.allforgardening.com/1874033/rogue-landscape-gardener-jailed-for-fraudulent-trading-across-three-counties/ #garden #gardener #gardening #TradingStandards

Rogue landscape gardener jailed for fraudulent trading across three counties https://www.allforgardening.com/1874033/rogue-landscape-gardener-jailed-for-fraudulent-trading-across-three-counties/ #garden #gardener #gardening #TradingStandards

VAPING CRACKDOWN: Plain white packs, no sweet-shop flavours and hidden displays — what the new rules mean for a county already at war with illegal vapes

The brightly coloured vapes lining local shop counters could soon vanish — replaced by plain white packs, muted devices and displays hidden from view, under a UK-wide crackdown on products that hook children.

The UK and devolved governments launched a 12-week consultation on Friday, using powers in the new Tobacco and Vapes Act, proposing plain white vape packaging with strict limits on text colour, imagery and branding.

Flavour names would be cut back to simple descriptions such as “Apple” — with concept and sensory names banned, along with anything referencing sweets, desserts or alcohol. The devices themselves would come only in white, black or grey, with no cosmetic lights.

Vapes would also disappear from view in shops, restricted from display in the same way as cigarettes — with an existing display exemption removed for duty-free shops and airports.

The scale of the problem is stark: campaign group Action on Smoking and Health reports around one million 11 to 17-year-olds in Great Britain tried vaping in 2025, with colourful packaging, prominent displays and child-appealing flavours blamed for driving take-up.

Health Secretary James Murray said the evidence was clear that too many young people were experimenting with vapes, “attracted by the array of flavours, bright colours and marketing displays”.

He said vapes were less harmful than cigarettes and played an important role in helping adult smokers quit — “but they should never be designed or marketed in ways that tempt children”.

The Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Preventative and Public Health, Nerys Evans, said vapes were being deliberately designed and marketed to appeal to children, with bright colours, cartoon branding and sweet-sounding flavour names that had “no place in products containing addictive nicotine”.

The proposals land in a county that knows the problem well. Swansea Council’s Trading Standards team shut a Pontarddulais vape shop for a third time last month — one of two closed in June — and has vowed more raids this year.

The city recorded the fifth-largest haul of illegal vapes seized anywhere in the UK last year.

Cllr Wendy Taylor, chair of the Local Government Association’s health and wellbeing committee, said there was “no legitimate reason” for nicotine products in neon packaging with cartoon images — and that councils had long called for an end to vapes “being dressed up like sweets and sold within arm’s reach of the pick and mix”.

The consultation goes further than vapes: plain packaging and health warnings would extend to all tobacco products, including cigars and cigarette papers, with quit-support messages inside packs and heated tobacco devices restricted to the same drab brown as cigarette packets.

It follows the ban on single-use vapes last June, with more already scheduled: a new Vaping Products Duty from October, bans on vending machine sales and free distribution from 29 October, and an end to vape advertising and sponsorship from June 2027.

The move adds to a widening push to protect children that readers will recognise: under-16s will be blocked from major social media platforms by spring 2027, while Welsh classrooms face a fresh crackdown on mobile phones.

No law changes yet — regulations will follow analysis of the consultation, which runs for 12 weeks, with responses invited from the public, retailers and health groups via the UK Government’s website.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA: Vape shop shut for a third time as Trading Standards vow more closures to come
A Pontarddulais shop caught with hidden illegal stock — with the council warning more raids will follow.

New data shows almost HALF of all UK cigarettes smoked pay no tax — with Swansea ranked among highest for illegal vape seizures
The city had the fifth largest haul of illegal vapes in the UK last year.

SOCIAL MEDIA BANNED: Under-16s to be blocked from popular apps — here’s what it means for Welsh teens
What changes for families across Swansea Bay by spring 2027.

Mum who ignored squishy dumpling toy safety warnings 'wish she hadn't'

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/family/mum-who-ignored-squishy-dumpling-37382381

ROGUE TRADER: ‘Garrulous charmer’ who turned gutter cleans into £40,000 of ruined roofs is jailed

A Neath roofer described by a judge as a “garrulous charmer only intent on taking wholly innocent people for a ride” has been jailed for defrauding his customers — many of them elderly — out of around £40,000.

Richard Murnane, 42, of Llewelyn Street, Neath, ran two fraudulent businesses — RM Property and Maintenance and S & R Roofing — and was sentenced to 32 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of participating in a fraudulent business, following a lengthy and complex investigation by Neath Port Talbot Council‘s Trading Standards team.

The court heard Murnane would often begin with a simple gutter-cleaning job — before telling the householder he had found serious problems with their roof that would cost thousands of pounds to put right.

He would demand large deposits up front — many paid into third-party bank accounts rather than his own — and provided no receipts, contracts or paperwork.

Quotes would then be inflated, with Murnane pestering his victims for extra payments once work had started, often claiming he needed the cash to pay his employees. On occasions he made claims about the safety of an existing roof to scare householders — while scaffolding and skips they had paid for never arrived.

Jobs were dragged out for months with a series of excuses, the court heard, with Murnane disappearing for periods or abandoning work unfinished.

Experts who later inspected his work found it to be of an “abysmal” quality that failed to meet basic industry standards or building regulations — with “little or no evidence of a basic level of skill or competence”.

In many cases, the work he claimed was needed had never been necessary at all, while other jobs were “largely worthless”. Many victims were left with significant water damage and huge bills to repair — or entirely replace — what he had done.

One victim, an elderly widow, described Murnane as having “the gift of the gab” and said she felt “cornered” into handing over more and more cash.

Lee Reynolds, prosecuting for the council, called it “a well-planned operation involving a consistent and dishonest approach to what were often vulnerable victims” — and said the £40,000 figure was “perhaps a generous one”, as it excluded the cost of putting the damage right.

Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees said Murnane had been “consistently and inherently dishonest” in his dealings with customers.

“It seems to me from what I have read about you that you played the role of ‘Jack the lad’, a garrulous charmer only intent on taking wholly innocent people for a ride,” he told him. “This case is a classic example of a rogue builder — only those who have been on the rough side of a builder’s attitude such as yours really knows the distress caused.”

Murnane, who has six previous convictions for eight offences including assault but none for similar matters, was said by his barrister to be ashamed and remorseful. With a quarter discount for his guilty pleas, he will serve 40 per cent of the 32-month sentence in custody before release on licence.

Cllr Cen Phillips, the council’s cabinet member whose portfolio includes Trading Standards, said the case demonstrated “the serious impact rogue traders and fraudulent businesses have on residents, particularly older and more vulnerable members of our communities”.

“The victims in this case suffered significant financial losses and considerable distress after placing their trust in someone who deliberately set out to deceive them,” he said, commending the “dedication and professionalism” of the Trading Standards officers who brought Murnane to justice.

The council is reminding residents to take extra care when hiring tradespeople — and to report any suspicious activity to Trading Standards.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Neath Port Talbot crushes fly-tippers’ vehicles as crackdown intensifies
The council’s enforcement teams taking a hard line on environmental crime.

Senedd candidate and councillor banned from keeping animals for life
Another council prosecution that ended at Swansea’s courts.

LICENCE FRAUD: Thousands of lorry drivers given bogus medical tests in the back of vans by Swansea-prosecuted firm

Thousands of HGV drivers may be on the roads with licences obtained through bogus medical tests carried out in the back of vans, after a Swansea-led prosecution exposed a years-long fraud.

Andrew Eburne, 51, was jailed for four years at Swansea Crown Court for running Doctors on Wheels Ltd, a company found to have used unqualified staff to sign off drivers as medically fit.

The firm promised cheap medicals but instead carried out checks lasting minutes in laybys, motorway service stations and car parks across England and Wales, the court heard.

Eburne, of Hill Rise, Burbage, near Hinckley in Leicestershire, was convicted of participating in a fraudulent business in April and returned to the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.

The case was brought by Swansea Council Trading Standards, which launched its investigation after concerns were first raised by the DVLA.

Drivers applying for or renewing a licence to operate lorries and buses must complete a D4 medical certificate, confirming they are fit to drive. The test must be carried out by a doctor registered with the General Medical Council.

Instead, investigators found Doctors on Wheels handed applicants forms pre-stamped with the signature and GMC number of a doctor who had not taken part in the exam, the court was told.

The Morriston-based DVLA grew concerned about the forms and ran its own test-purchase checks before taking its findings to Swansea Council in March 2019. Trading Standards then made its own mystery-shopper appointments.

On occasions, the court heard, those turning up were not asked for identification, and the person carrying out the exam — who was not a registered doctor — would fill in the form without asking many questions.

Prosecutors said the value of the fraud was £681,699. In one case, an applicant was recorded as having 20/20 vision despite having a prosthetic eye; another was logged as having no hearing problems but was profoundly deaf.

Lee Reynolds, prosecuting, told the court the true extent of the public-safety risk would never be known, but said there was evidence medicals were not done properly and conditions were wrongly reported to the DVLA.

Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees said Eburne had flouted the rules in a “brazen and obvious way” and run a system that “served to compromise public safety.” He told him: “You were the founder and orchestrator of this misleading and dishonest system.”

Eburne will serve up to half his sentence in custody before being released on licence. A proceeds of crime investigation into his finances will now be launched.

Cllr Andrew Williams, Swansea Council’s cabinet member for development, said the sentence should serve as a deterrent. “There will be no hiding place in our community for those who engage in this kind of fraud that puts road users and the public at risk of harm,” he said.

He paid tribute to the trading standards officers and DVLA staff behind what he called a complex and important case, adding that their work had prevented the fraud “becoming a much more serious issue.”

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA: Trading Standards secures conviction against company issuing fraudulent HGV medical certificates
How the Doctors on Wheels boss was found guilty back in April.

DVLA FRAUD: Swansea insider jailed after doctoring car records in £1.3m scam
A DVLA worker falsified vehicle records for Swansea car dealers.

FOOD FRAUD: Swansea kebab checks exposed national ‘lamb’ scam — and led to a £500,000 fine
The same trading standards team’s routine sampling uncovered a national fraud.

SWANSEA: Vape shop shut for a third time as Trading Standards vow more closures to come

A Pontarddulais vape shop has been shut down for a third time after Trading Standards officers found illegal stock hidden on the premises.

World of Vapes, on St Teilo Street, was ordered to close for three months after Swansea Council officers visited earlier this month and discovered fake tobacco and vapes stashed in a hidden storage unit.

It is the latest blow for a shop that has now been closed three times in under a year.

The store was first shut in September 2025 as part of a city-wide crackdown that closed nine shops in a single operation.

It reopened, only to be closed again in February when officers uncovered more than £40,000 of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco — including stock hidden in the flat above. A shop worker later admitted multiple offences.

Now it has been shut a third time.

A second shop, Snoop Vapes on High Street in the city centre, was also closed after repeatedly selling fake tobacco to undercover officers over a two-month period.

Both closures were granted by Swansea Magistrates’ Court, which can extend a council closure to three months.

Rhys Harries, the council’s Trading Standards team leader, said the team was committed to tackling the illegal sale of tobacco and vapes — “often with sales to children.”

He said officers had powers to close shops after a visit, but needed the courts to extend those closures to three months.

He said the aim was to disrupt the trade and stop harmful goods reaching younger children.

“There’s more to come,” he added. “We have continued with our intelligence gathering and there will be more closures this year.”

The latest action follows a major operation in October 2025, when Trading Standards joined forces with South Wales Police to raid shops across the city.

Nine shops were closed in those raids, with more than £70,000 of illegal tobacco and vapes seized.

Swansea is among the worst-hit areas in the UK for the trade, having recently been ranked fifth in the country for illegal vape seizures.

Andrew Williams, the council’s cabinet member for development, said the authority was taking the sale of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco “very seriously.”

He said the Trading Standards team had made the issue a priority and gathered large amounts of intelligence on which shops had been selling illegal goods to consumers, including children.

He said the latest operation had been very successful in disrupting the trade, and he hoped it would send a strong message to other businesses that they had a duty to trade legally.

Trading Standards has confirmed that more shops will be targeted and closed as its intelligence-gathering and test purchases continue.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Nine Swansea vape shops shut down in major crackdown
The city-wide Operation Ceecee that first targeted illegal vape and tobacco sales.

Pontarddulais shop shut again after £40k haul
The same World of Vapes store closed a second time in February.

Swansea ranked fifth in UK for illegal vape seizures
New data revealing the scale of the illicit trade across the city.

Fake fags are killing Britain’s high streets

Share this article Every year, I eagerly await a report that confirms what I see before my eyes.…
#EuropeSays #Britain #Europe #EU #blackmarketcigarettes #counterfeitcigarettes #exciseduty #HighStreet #HMRC #illicittobacco #KPMG #smuggling #tobaccoduty #TradingStandards #vaping
https://www.europesays.com/britain/61952/

https://www.europesays.com/britain/61952/ Fake fags are killing Britain’s high streets #BlackMarketCigarettes #Britain #CounterfeitCigarettes #ExciseDuty #HighStreet #HMRC #IllicitTobacco #KPMG #smuggling #TobaccoDuty #TradingStandards #vaping

FOOD FRAUD: Swansea kebab checks exposed national ‘lamb’ scam — and led to a £500,000 fine

A routine check on kebabs sold in Swansea takeaways has ended with a national food manufacturer being fined £500,000 for fraud — after the city’s trading standards team uncovered ‘lamb’ products that contained little or no lamb at all.

Kismet Kebabs Limited, based in Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday 5 June after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation — and was ordered to pay a further £259,298.67 in prosecution costs, with four years to pay.

The investigation began in late 2020 and early 2021, when Swansea Council‘s trading standards team took part in a regional sampling exercise checking the meat content of kebabs sold at takeaways and restaurants across the city and county.

The results showed that products made by Kismet Kebabs did not match the meat content declared on their labels — and further samples bought from wholesalers confirmed the contents “differed significantly” from what the labels claimed.

What investigators went on to uncover was a sustained, UK-wide fraud. The court heard that products marketed and sold as lamb were found in many cases to contain little or no lamb — with skin, fat and other lower-grade ingredients used instead.

The company “routinely and knowingly” purchased goat, lamb fat, skin and mutton, the court heard, and once the material had been processed through its factory, sold it on as lamb.

In one example, a lamb doner kebab whose label claimed an 87 per cent lamb content was found to contain just 51 per cent meat of any kind — and 40 per cent fat.

After making enquiries with the National Food Crime Unit and the Food Standards Agency, a multi-agency team led by Swansea Council’s trading standards officers visited the company’s Chelmsford factory in May 2021.

Officers found no actual lamb on the premises — but significant quantities of lamb fat, skin, goat and mutton. Recipe cards showed very little lamb going into products labelled as lamb kebabs, and what entered the production line at one end did not correspond to the labels coming out at the other.

The court also heard the company produced mechanically derived meat made up predominantly of neck trim, mutton trim, water and ice — which was then counted towards the declared meat content of its products.

It emerged that Essex County Council, the company’s local authority, had received complaints from councils around England about labelling and meat content — and had terminated its formal partnership with the firm over a lack of cooperation and “serious labelling and potential public health issues” found during a factory audit.

Prosecutors described the operation as “organised, planned, unlawful activity” that misled wholesalers, retailers and consumers across the UK — including in Swansea. Sentencing guidelines for a firm of Kismet’s size suggested a fine of between £15m and £24m, the court heard, but that was described as “wholly unrealistic” as it would inevitably put the company out of business.

Defending, the court was told the company — established in 2008 — accepted it had “taken its eye off the ball” at the time of the offending, that significant changes had since been made, and that little financial gain had resulted.

Judge Huw Rees said fraudulent activity had been “endemic” at the firm at the time, and that the company had engaged in “considerable dishonesty” over a prolonged period — while noting the steps taken since.

Rhys Harries, Swansea Council’s Trading Standards Team Leader, said: “We became aware of the actions of Kismet Kebabs when we carried out some city-wide analysis of food being offered to consumers in Swansea.

“Our investigations highlighted serious discrepancies with the food labelling of the product compared to the results of our analysis and prompted our follow-up actions against the food manufacturer.

“Consumers deserve to know that what’s going into the food they buy is what the label says it is.

“The £500,000 fine imposed by Swansea Crown Court, along with costs of £259,298.67, reflects the seriousness of the offending and follows the company’s guilty plea to the offences. We hope that the fine and costs serve as a deterrent to other businesses who might consider selling falsely-labelled food in this way.”

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

New data shows almost HALF of all UK cigarettes smoked pay no tax — with Swansea ranked among highest for illegal vape seizures
Trading Standards’ other front line — the illicit tobacco and vapes trade in the city.

DVLA FRAUD: Swansea insider jailed after doctoring car records in £1.3m scam
The insider fraud uncovered at the Swansea-based licensing agency.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT: Driver fined for carrying children on school run without taxi licence — despite earlier warning
Another enforcement case from the courts this week.

99 pyramid rings seized by police on way to Appleby Horse Fair

Cumbria Police issued a warning this morning after officers seized dozens of the rings en route to Appleby…
#EuropeSays #Britain #Europe #EU #UK #CumbriaPolice #Horses #TradingStandards #UnitedKingdom
https://www.europesays.com/britain/57770/

https://www.europesays.com/britain/57770/ 99 pyramid rings seized by police on way to Appleby Horse Fair #CumbriaPolice #Horses #TradingStandards #UK #UnitedKingdom

https://www.europesays.com/videos/38171/ A victim of cowboy builders says they ruined her husband’s final years | ITV News Meridian (East) #AntisocialBehaviour #beaches #COWBOYBUILDERS #itv #ITVMeridian #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #kent #Maidstone #police #Sittingbourne #Sussex #TradingStandards

New data shows almost HALF of all UK cigarettes smoked pay no tax — with Swansea ranked among highest for illegal vape seizures

Almost half the cigarettes smoked in Britain last year never paid a penny in tax — and Swansea is now one of the worst places in the country for illegal vapes.

Council officers in the city seized more than 48,000 illicit vapes, e-liquids and e-cigarettes in 2025, the fifth-largest haul of any local authority in Britain. Only Bolton, Cheshire East and Hillingdon pulled in more.

Across the UK, councils stripped more than 1.3 million illegal vaping products from shop shelves over the year. Swansea’s 48,220 put it firmly in the national top five.

But vapes are only half the trade. The same shops are pushing smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes — and the figures on those are even starker.

Analysis by KPMG, commissioned by tobacco giant Philip Morris International, claims 45% of all cigarettes consumed in the UK in 2025 were illicit — bought abroad, counterfeit or contraband. That is the highest level since records began.

The same industry-funded report reckons more than 10 billion illicit cigarettes were smoked in the UK last year, costing the Treasury over £4.46 billion in lost tax — enough, Philip Morris claims, to fund more than 95,000 police officers.

Those numbers come from a company with a direct stake in the crackdown, and should be read that way. But the “front shop” they describe is one south Wales knows well.

These are the outlets posing as grocers, vape shops, sweet shops, barbers or phone repair stores while selling illicit goods under the counter.

Swansea Trading Standards has been fighting them street by street. Last October a three-day blitz codenamed Operation Ceecee & Marvel — backed by police, HMRC, Home Office immigration officers and tobacco sniffer dogs — shut down nine vape shops across the city.

Officers made 11 arrests and seized five “stash cars.” They hauled out nearly 1,000 packs of counterfeit cigarettes and another 970 packets of illicit hand-rolling tobacco alongside thousands of illegal vapes.

One front shop on St Helen’s Road, Bob Marley Vapes, was still trading despite its registered owner being jailed over a £100,000 black-market cigarette and vape racket. Weeks later, magistrates extended the closure of eight of the shops.

Cigarettes have driven the most serious cases. One Swansea corner shop was raking in £1,200 a day selling counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco before two men were jailed.

Another Swansea man went to prison after police found thousands of counterfeit cigarettes and cash stuffed in his car.

The hauls keep getting bolder. One shopkeeper was jailed in January after officers dug a £45,000 stash of illegal vapes and tobacco out of secret compartments, a toilet panel and even his own bed.

In February, a Pontarddulais vape shop was shut for a second time over a £40,000 stockpile of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco.

Swansea Council has made the trade a priority. Cllr Andrew Williams, the authority’s cabinet member for corporate services, said when the shops were closed that Trading Standards had gathered intelligence on outlets selling illegal goods to consumers “including children.”

The action should send “a very strong message” that businesses have a duty to trade legally and not put consumers at risk, he said.

Philip Morris is using the figures to push for a tougher licensing regime. Peter Nixon, its UK managing director, said the data should be “a major wake-up call for the government,” with poorly resourced enforcement depriving the UK of almost £4.5 billion a year.

He said the past few years had been “a boon time for organised crime gangs who are selling illicit cigarettes and vapes with impunity, ruining our high streets and communities.”

Catherine Goger, the company’s illicit trade prevention manager, said it had expanded undercover teams gathering evidence in communities across the UK in its fight against the front shops.

The government needed to bring in “a robust licencing scheme as soon as possible” to drive illicit products off the high street, she said.

The row has now hit the Senedd floor. Reform Wales is demanding a crackdown on the criminal businesses it says are blighting Welsh high streets — premises used for money laundering, illicit tobacco and organised crime.

Jason O’Connell, Reform’s Shadow Minister for Economy and Transport and a Member of the Senedd, told the chamber that shops in his own constituency had sold illegal tobacco and vapes to children while displaying drug paraphernalia in the window. He said illegal shops “masquerading as legitimate businesses” were blighting high streets and undermining honest traders.

Responding for the new Plaid Cymru government, Economy Secretary Adam Price said a town-centre taskforce would be set up within his administration’s first 100 days, and that he would take good ideas on reviving high streets from any party in the chamber.

Anyone with information about the sale of illegal vapes or tobacco can report it to their local council’s Trading Standards team or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Nine Swansea vape shops shut down in major crackdown on illegal sales
Trading Standards closed nine outlets in a three-day operation across the city.

Swansea corner shop counterfeit cigarette racket duo sentenced to jail
A shop taking £1,200 a day in counterfeit cigarettes landed two men in prison.

Swansea shopkeeper jailed after £45k stash of illegal vapes found hidden in toilet and bed
Illegal vapes and tobacco were hidden in secret compartments, a toilet panel and a bed.

London vape boss ordered to repay £325k after Swansea Trading Standards bust
A supplier of illegal vapes to Swansea shops was hit with a major confiscation order.

Thousands of illegal vapes discovered in disused WWII bunker in Swansea garden
A £47,000 stash was found hidden in a wartime bunker in a Swansea garden.

TOY SAFETY: Trading Standards issue urgent safety warning over viral TikTok ‘squishy dumpling’ toys

Parents are being warned to think twice before buying their children the latest TikTok toy craze — after Swansea Council‘s Trading Standards seized squishy dumpling toys from local shops and found they contained potentially hazardous chemicals.

The brightly coloured squeezy toys have swept through schools and social media feeds after being heavily promoted in unboxing videos and viral content, but Trading Standards officers say many of the products circulating in Swansea are failing basic safety tests.

Concerns were first raised by parents whose children were asking for the products — with many reporting that the toys gave off a strong chemical smell described as similar to petrol.

Officers examined a number of the products following the complaints and found that some were missing key legal requirements, including safety instructions explaining what to do if the product leaks or is punctured, a CE or UKCA safety mark, and the name and address of a UK-based responsible person such as an importer or manufacturer.

The missing responsible person detail is particularly significant — without it, officers may not be able to trace who is accountable for a product if safety concerns arise.

Products were subsequently seized from a number of retailers in Swansea and sent for laboratory testing. The results identified the presence of volatile organic compounds — including Ethyl Benzene, Styrene, m-Xylene, p-Xylene and o-Xylene — substances associated with the petrol-like smell parents had reported, and recognised as hazardous.

Rhys Harries, Swansea Council’s Trading Standards Officer, said: “These products are clearly attractive to children because they are being driven by online trends, but that does not mean they are safe.”

He added: “When a toy gives off a strong chemical smell and is missing basic safety information, that should ring alarm bells for parents and retailers alike. Our main concern is the risk posed to children if unsafe items end up in homes, school bags or play areas.”

The warning follows previous action by Trading Standards against fake Labubu toys — another viral product — which were identified and removed from sale in Swansea earlier this year.

Officers say the pattern is clear — as one online craze fades, another takes its place, and unsafe products can flood the market before regulators have time to act.

Mr Harries said: “Social media platforms such as TikTok can accelerate the spread of toy crazes almost overnight, but they can also help point Trading Standards towards the latest fake, unsafe or non-compliant products entering the market.”

He urged parents to buy from reputable retailers, check for correct safety markings and supplier details, and to be cautious about products promoted primarily through social media — however popular they appear.

Retailers are also being asked to check that any fast-moving trend products they stock meet legal safety requirements before putting them on sale.

SWANSEA: Trading Standards secures conviction against company issuing fraudulent HGV medical certificates

A director whose company issued fraudulent medical certificates as part of HGV licence applications has been convicted following a years-long investigation by Swansea Council Trading Standards.

Andrew Eburne, 51, of Hill Rise, Burbage, Hinckley, was found guilty of operating a fraudulent business through his company Doctors on Wheels Ltd, which provided D4 medical certificates — a legal requirement for anyone applying for an HGV licence.

The investigation was triggered by concerns raised by the DVLA, which had spotted anomalies in certificates being submitted as part of HGV licence applications. Swansea Council Trading Standards worked alongside investigators from across the UK to build the case.

A D4 medical certificate confirms that a driver is physically and mentally fit to operate a heavy goods vehicle. It must be completed by a qualified medical professional — typically a GP or occupational health doctor — and covers eyesight, blood pressure, neurological conditions and a range of other health factors relevant to driving large vehicles safely.

HGV drivers are required to hold a valid D4 certificate when applying for a Group 2 licence, which covers lorries, buses and other large vehicles. The certificates must be renewed periodically as drivers age, with more frequent renewals required for older drivers.

Fraudulent certificates raise serious road safety concerns. An HGV driver who is unfit to drive but holds a falsely obtained licence poses a significant risk to other road users. The weight and size of heavy goods vehicles means that accidents involving them can have catastrophic consequences.

The fraudulent certificates raised the prospect of unfit drivers obtaining HGV licences, with potential consequences for road safety.

Rhys Harries, Swansea Council Trading Standards Team Leader, said the outcome demonstrated the value of close working between agencies. “We were able to show in court that D4 medical certificates were submitted to the DVLA with the intention of them being issued as part of a HGV licence application,” he said.

“Fortunately, due to the expertise shown by the DVLA in spotting these anomalies, along with our own investigation, we prevented this becoming a much more serious issue.”

Harries added that the case underlined the importance of ensuring medical certificates are properly completed by qualified professionals to help keep roads safe.

The DVLA is based in Swansea and is one of the city’s largest employers, responsible for maintaining records on more than 50 million drivers and 40 million vehicles across the UK. The agency’s role in spotting the anomalies that triggered the investigation was described by Trading Standards as central to the successful prosecution.

Anyone with concerns about a business operating unfairly or unlawfully can report it to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

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Seeing much more use of #spyGlasses by middle aged YouTuber men "auditing" #petrol stations in the #UK (either to check fuel quality or whether the pumps are accurate), some are now starting to covertly film staff as well (who are often brown people) which they weren't doing as much before..

We all know #fuel is bloody expensive and tax high - but #TradingStandards do a good job of checking up on #forecourts and have proper calibrated kit for this purpose.

British motorists have always moaned about price of petrol before I was born (let alone started driving), but it seems to have got worse in recent years (even before Trump's escalations) and seems to coincides with more #BritishAsian folk working in this industry (including becoming CEOs of fuel station chains)

Seeing much more use of #spyGlasses by middle aged YouTuber men "auditing" #petrol stations in the #UK (either to check fuel quality or whether the pumps are accurate), some are now starting to covertly film staff as well (who are often brown people) which they weren't doing as much before..

We all know #fuel is bloody expensive and tax high - but #TradingStandards do a good job of checking up on #forecourts and have proper calibrated kit for this purpose.

British motorists have always moaned about price of petrol before I was born (let alone started driving), but it seems to have got worse in recent years (even before Trump's escalations) and seems to coincides with more #BritishAsian folk working in this industry (including becoming CEOs of fuel station chains)

Seeing much more use of #spyGlasses by middle aged YouTuber men "auditing" #petrol stations in the #UK (either to check fuel quality or whether the pumps are accurate), some are now starting to covertly film staff as well (who are often brown people) which they weren't doing as much before..

We all know #fuel is bloody expensive and tax high - but #TradingStandards do a good job of checking up on #forecourts and have proper calibrated kit for this purpose.

British motorists have always moaned about price of petrol before I was born (let alone started driving), but it seems to have got worse in recent years (even before Trump's escalations) and seems to coincides with more #BritishAsian folk working in this industry (including becoming CEOs of fuel station chains)

Seeing much more use of #spyGlasses by middle aged YouTuber men "auditing" #petrol stations in the #UK (either to check fuel quality or whether the pumps are accurate), some are now starting to covertly film staff as well (who are often brown people) which they weren't doing as much before..

We all know #fuel is bloody expensive and tax high - but #TradingStandards do a good job of checking up on #forecourts and have proper calibrated kit for this purpose.

British motorists have always moaned about price of petrol before I was born (let alone started driving), but it seems to have got worse in recent years (even before Trump's escalations) and seems to coincides with more #BritishAsian folk working in this industry (including becoming CEOs of fuel station chains)

Seeing much more use of #spyGlasses by middle aged YouTuber men "auditing" #petrol stations in the #UK (either to check fuel quality or whether the pumps are accurate), some are now starting to covertly film staff as well (who are often brown people) which they weren't doing as much before..

We all know #fuel is bloody expensive and tax high - but #TradingStandards do a good job of checking up on #forecourts and have proper calibrated kit for this purpose.

British motorists have always moaned about price of petrol before I was born (let alone started driving), but it seems to have got worse in recent years (even before Trump's escalations) and seems to coincides with more #BritishAsian folk working in this industry (including becoming CEOs of fuel station chains)

Cannabis, vapes and lager seized by police from three Fishponds convenience stores

POLICE seized a “large quantity of cannabis, vapes and alcohol” in raids on three convenience stores in Fishponds.…
#Bristol #UnitedKingdom #UK #GB #England #Headlines #News #Europe #EU #BristolCityCouncil #Britain #Cannabis #conveniencestores #Crime #Fishponds #GreatBritain #lager #LodgeCauseway #Police #TradingStandards #vapes
https://www.europesays.com/uk/842816/

https://www.europesays.com/uk/842816/ Cannabis, vapes and lager seized by police from three Fishponds convenience stores #Bristol #BristolCityCouncil #Britain #Cannabis #ConvenienceStores #Crime #England #Fishponds #GreatBritain #lager #LodgeCauseway #Police #TradingStandards #UK #UnitedKingdom #vapes

Serial rogue builder jailed again after £400k fraud left homes ‘virtually destroyed’

Lee Slocombe, 33, formerly of Delhi Street, Swansea, carried out dangerous and often pointless building work at properties in Cardiff, Bridgend and Swansea, defrauding nine victims of more than £400,000. When the cost of repairing the damage he caused was added, the total loss to homeowners was calculated at at least £547,000.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Slocombe was already on Crown Court bail when he committed the latest offences between March 2021 and May 2023. He pleaded guilty to two counts of participating in a fraudulent business — one personally, and one through his company, LSP Developments.

‘Appalling standard’ work left homes unsafe

Judge Felstead described Slocombe as a “persistent rogue builder” whose work was so poor that some homes were “virtually destroyed”. He repeatedly convinced customers that work was needed when it wasn’t, escalated costs without justification, and abandoned jobs halfway through — leaving families with huge repair bills.

In two cases, he even brought in a fake, unqualified gas engineer. One property was left leaking carbon monoxide where a 10‑month‑old baby lived.

Some victims were forced to take out loans, overdrafts or raid their pension pots to put their homes right. Several were elderly or vulnerable.

Slocombe used the false name “Lee Lewis” to hide his long history of dishonesty.

He was also handed a lifetime Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from carrying out any building, maintenance or gardening work in the UK, and disqualified from being a company director until 2031.

Cllr Norma Mackie, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Shared Regulatory Services, said:

“Lee Slocombe caused immense misery to his victims… The stress he caused is unimaginable, and he deserves to be sent directly back to prison.”

Not the first time: Swansea victims suffered too

This is far from Slocombe’s first appearance in the dock.

In 2023, he was jailed for five years and five months after defrauding seven Swansea families of more than £147,000 through his previous company, Kamlee Builders. Swansea Crown Court heard he destroyed homes, drained life savings and left properties in such a state that some were “a complete mess”.

One Swansea family paid more than £78,000 for work and repairs after going into “financial meltdown”. Another couple were charged £18,000 for a job a surveyor said should have cost less than £600 and taken an hour.

Swansea Council’s Trading Standards team began investigating him in 2018 after a complaint about damp work in Morriston that ballooned from a £1,000 quote to a £60,000 bill.

Cllr David Hopkins, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, said at the time:

“The details of this case show an extremely disturbing level of dishonesty and appalling treatment towards families in Swansea.”

A decade of fraud — and now a lifetime ban

Slocombe’s criminal record stretches back to 2015, when he was jailed for 43 months for similar offences. Despite two prison sentences, he continued targeting homeowners across South Wales.

Regulators hope the lifetime ban will finally stop him.

Cardiff Council said the latest sentence should give victims “some closure”, while Swansea Council previously praised its Trading Standards team for ensuring “no other families will suffer at the hands of this rogue builder”.

Vape shop shut down again after £40k haul of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco in Pontarddulais

Swansea Council has shut down World of Vapes on St Teilo Street just weeks after the business reopened from an earlier enforcement action. The shop was originally ordered to close for three months in September 2025 following a city‑wide crackdown on illicit vape sales.

Repeat test purchases lead to new closure

Trading Standards officers returned to the shop in January after the temporary closure notice expired. Test purchases were carried out and counterfeit tobacco was sold to officers.

A further search of the premises — including the flat above the shop — uncovered a large quantity of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco with a combined street value of more than £40,000.

The shop worker responsible, Many Shahabi Karimi, has since pleaded guilty to multiple offences relating to the fraudulent sale of counterfeit goods. He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced later this month.

Council says enforcement will continue

Rhys Harries, Trading Standards Team Leader at Swansea Council, said the latest discovery shows the scale of the problem:

“Test purchasing will continue to take place and we will use all available legal powers to ensure these shops are not selling illegal vapes or counterfeit tobacco.”

Cllr Andrew Williams, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, accompanied officers on the latest visit.

He said:

“Our Trading Standards Team is working hard with local police to prevent these shops from trading in illegal and counterfeit goods. A number of those closed temporarily in September have not reopened and we are succeeding in disrupting this ongoing business.”

He added that the repeat closure of World of Vapes shows the council will continue to monitor premises even after temporary notices end:

“We will use our powers to close them down again.”

Part of wider crackdown on illegal vape sales

World of Vapes was one of nine shops shut during Operation Ceecee in September 2025 — a joint operation between Swansea Council and South Wales Police targeting the sale of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco across the city.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Nine Swansea vape shops shut down in major crackdown on illegal sales
Part of the same city‑wide operation targeting illicit vape and tobacco products.

Swansea magistrates extend closure of vape shops in crackdown on illegal sales
Court‑ordered extensions followed further evidence of illegal trading.

Council wins vape shop closure order
Trading Standards secured a closure order after repeated breaches.

Taibach vape shop shut down after selling illegal cigarettes and vapes
Enforcement action taken after illegal tobacco and vapes were found on sale.

Vape shop shut down after illegal stock and cannabis seized in Port Talbot
Officers discovered illegal vapes alongside cannabis during a joint operation.

Swansea shopkeeper jailed after £45k stash of illegal vapes found hidden in toilet and bed

Illegal haul uncovered in High Street shop

Trading Standards raided Snoop Vape Store on Swansea’s High Street in July last year, finding a “significant amount” of illegal tobacco and oversized disposable vapes. Some were concealed in a hidden compartment inside the shop, while others were discovered behind a secret panel in the toilet.

Officers seized 52 packets of illegal cigarettes and 714 disposable vapes during the initial search.

Flat search reveals even bigger stash

Investigators later located Arif’s flat in Griffith John Street, where they found an even larger cache: 1,353 packets of illegal tobacco, 468 illegal vapes and £1,690 in cash. Some of the stock had been hidden in the base of a bed.

Prosecutors said the total value of the illegal products was just under £45,000, with some vapes containing liquid reservoirs up to 20 times the legal limit.

Judge: ‘The seriousness cannot be overstated’

Judge Huw Rees, sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, said the sale of unlawful tobacco and vapes was an increasing problem across the UK and warned that the seriousness of the issue “cannot be overstated”. He said Arif’s operation showed clear planning and sophistication.

Arif, who came to the UK from Iraq in 2020, told the court he had been motivated by a desire to send money home to his ill mother. His barrister said he had found six months on remand “isolating” due to his limited English.

The court also heard Arif had previously worked in a Lincolnshire shop that was issued with a closure notice in January 2025 after illegal tobacco and vapes were found there.

Police: ‘These products are unsafe’

PC James Rees, South Wales Police, said:

“The issue of vape shops selling illegal e‑cigarettes and tobacco is one that we are working hard alongside Trading Standards in order to address in Swansea city centre.

These illegal products are unsafe and can cause significant health risks to those unsuspecting people who purchase these products from shops which knowingly operate in contradiction to the law.

Halkawt Arif played his part in that, and for that it is right that he is going to prison.”

Judge Rees ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all seized items. Arif will serve up to half his 16‑month sentence in custody before being released on licence. The judge noted he may be liable for deportation, but said that decision rests with the Home Office.

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
A city‑wide enforcement sweep sees multiple shops closed over illicit products.

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
A city‑wide enforcement sweep sees multiple shops closed over illicit products.

As this is often the time of year for #booking #holidays a timely warning from Trading Standards...
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/holiday-scams/

#TradingStandards
#Scamcation
#holiday
#booking
#fakeSites
#fakeaccommodation
#HolidayScam
#scammers

As this is often the time of year for #booking #holidays a timely warning from Trading Standards...
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/holiday-scams/

#TradingStandards
#Scamcation
#holiday
#booking
#fakeSites
#fakeaccommodation
#HolidayScam
#scammers

As this is often the time of year for #booking #holidays a timely warning from Trading Standards...
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/holiday-scams/

#TradingStandards
#Scamcation
#holiday
#booking
#fakeSites
#fakeaccommodation
#HolidayScam
#scammers

As this is often the time of year for #booking #holidays a timely warning from Trading Standards...
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/holiday-scams/

#TradingStandards
#Scamcation
#holiday
#booking
#fakeSites
#fakeaccommodation
#HolidayScam
#scammers

As this is often the time of year for #booking #holidays a timely warning from Trading Standards...
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/holiday-scams/

#TradingStandards
#Scamcation
#holiday
#booking
#fakeSites
#fakeaccommodation
#HolidayScam
#scammers

Making a #spectacle of himself - this chap (a #mechanic in #Kent #SE #England) is wearing #RayBan #spy #glasses for the purpose of his #YouTube video.

He is carrying out the relatively harmless act of covertly filming buying 5 litres of #petrol (garages often don't like you using mobile phones) to take back to his workshop and check there is 5 litres in the can (indeed there was - not sure what he was expecting to happen, Trading Standards regularly check filling stations!)

I've got 3 spreadsheets and notebooks of receipts since 2019 (spanning 3 different #cars) where I've been monitoring fuel consumption and I've found nothing to suggest that petrol pumps across East and SE #England are delivering anything other than correct amounts (within tolerances that #TradingStandards allow)

Making a #spectacle of himself - this chap (a #mechanic in #Kent #SE #England) is wearing #RayBan #spy #glasses for the purpose of his #YouTube video.

He is carrying out the relatively harmless act of covertly filming buying 5 litres of #petrol (garages often don't like you using mobile phones) to take back to his workshop and check there is 5 litres in the can (indeed there was - not sure what he was expecting to happen, Trading Standards regularly check filling stations!)

I've got 3 spreadsheets and notebooks of receipts since 2019 (spanning 3 different #cars) where I've been monitoring fuel consumption and I've found nothing to suggest that petrol pumps across East and SE #England are delivering anything other than correct amounts (within tolerances that #TradingStandards allow)

Making a #spectacle of himself - this chap (a #mechanic in #Kent #SE #England) is wearing #RayBan #spy #glasses for the purpose of his #YouTube video.

He is carrying out the relatively harmless act of covertly filming buying 5 litres of #petrol (garages often don't like you using mobile phones) to take back to his workshop and check there is 5 litres in the can (indeed there was - not sure what he was expecting to happen, Trading Standards regularly check filling stations!)

I've got 3 spreadsheets and notebooks of receipts since 2019 (spanning 3 different #cars) where I've been monitoring fuel consumption and I've found nothing to suggest that petrol pumps across East and SE #England are delivering anything other than correct amounts (within tolerances that #TradingStandards allow)

Making a #spectacle of himself - this chap (a #mechanic in #Kent #SE #England) is wearing #RayBan #spy #glasses for the purpose of his #YouTube video.

He is carrying out the relatively harmless act of covertly filming buying 5 litres of #petrol (garages often don't like you using mobile phones) to take back to his workshop and check there is 5 litres in the can (indeed there was - not sure what he was expecting to happen, Trading Standards regularly check filling stations!)

I've got 3 spreadsheets and notebooks of receipts since 2019 (spanning 3 different #cars) where I've been monitoring fuel consumption and I've found nothing to suggest that petrol pumps across East and SE #England are delivering anything other than correct amounts (within tolerances that #TradingStandards allow)

Making a #spectacle of himself - this chap (a #mechanic in #Kent #SE #England) is wearing #RayBan #spy #glasses for the purpose of his #YouTube video.

He is carrying out the relatively harmless act of covertly filming buying 5 litres of #petrol (garages often don't like you using mobile phones) to take back to his workshop and check there is 5 litres in the can (indeed there was - not sure what he was expecting to happen, Trading Standards regularly check filling stations!)

I've got 3 spreadsheets and notebooks of receipts since 2019 (spanning 3 different #cars) where I've been monitoring fuel consumption and I've found nothing to suggest that petrol pumps across East and SE #England are delivering anything other than correct amounts (within tolerances that #TradingStandards allow)

Llandysul man admits part in illegal dog breeding racket

Court confession

Thomas John Jones, of Prengwyn near Llandysul, stood before Swansea Crown Court and admitted knowingly joining the fraudulent business between March 2015, when he was just 17, and November 2023.

Prosecutors told the court Jones was involved in hiding the true identity of dogs being sold and producing false paperwork to mislead unsuspecting buyers.

Part of a wider network

His guilty plea is just one strand of a much larger case. Trading standards officers from across Wales have spent years investigating the racket, which they say involved multiple players across Llandysul and beyond.

Among those accused is Sara Pritchard Davies, 28, a former winner of S4C’s Can i Gymru, who will stand trial alongside Euros Davies, 60, a councillor from Llanybydder. They are joined by Rhydian Davies, 28, also from Prengwyn, Delyth Mathias, 29, of Cardiff, and Rebecca Bailey, 30, from Llangrannog. All five deny the charges and are set to face a jury in November 2026.

Guilty pleas already entered

Jones is not the only one to admit wrongdoing. Nerys Wyn Davies of Penrhiwllan has already pleaded guilty, while David Bethell of Llandysul, Cara Barrett of Carmarthen, and David Peter Jones of Llandysul accepted responsibility and were handed cautions that will remain on their records. In contrast, Margaret Ann Jones, 71, of Llandysul, was cleared after prosecutors dropped the case against her.

Echoes in Carmarthenshire

The Llandysul case is far from isolated. Just across the county border in Carmarthenshire, Swansea Bay News has already reported on a string of prosecutions that exposed the scale of illegal dog breeding in West Wales.

In one case, a man from Pencader was ordered to repay more than £100,000 made from selling puppies without a licence, or face jail. In another, three breeders were forced to hand over £80,000 after investigators found they had been selling cocker spaniel puppies illegally. Even a Kennel Club show judge was caught up in the scandal, prosecuted by Carmarthenshire Council for unlicensed breeding.

These stories paint a picture of a region where puppy farming has thrived in the shadows, with trading standards teams warning of serious risks to animal welfare and unsuspecting buyers. The Llandysul case now adds to that growing tally, showing how deep the problem runs across rural communities in West Wales.

Trading standards crackdown

The case was brought by Ceredigion County Council and highlights the scale of illegal breeding operations in rural Wales. Investigators say fraudulent paperwork and hidden identities of dogs were central to the scheme, which left families paying thousands for animals with uncertain backgrounds.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Illegal dog breeder ordered to pay £100,000
A Pencader man was told to repay £100,000 from puppy sales or face prison.

Unlicensed breeders forced to hand over £80,000
Three Carmarthenshire breeders had thousands confiscated after selling cocker spaniel puppies without a licence.

Kennel Club show judge prosecuted
Carmarthenshire Council brought a case against a former show judge for unlicensed breeding.

Crackdown sparks call for national law overhaul
Councillors and the RSPCA demand tougher rules after a string of Carmarthenshire puppy farm prosecutions.

#animalWelfare #Carmarthen #Dogs #illegalDogBreeding #Llandysul #Llangrannog #Llanybydder #Prengwyn #prosecution #puppies #TradingStandards

A useful A to Z of #scams from Trading Standards Scotland especially as we approach #xmas and the #scammer scum are out in force.
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/a-z-scams/
#TradingStandards
#Scotland
#ScammerScum

A useful A to Z of #scams from Trading Standards Scotland especially as we approach #xmas and the #scammer scum are out in force.
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/a-z-scams/
#TradingStandards
#Scotland
#ScammerScum

A useful A to Z of #scams from Trading Standards Scotland especially as we approach #xmas and the #scammer scum are out in force.
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/a-z-scams/
#TradingStandards
#Scotland
#ScammerScum

A useful A to Z of #scams from Trading Standards Scotland especially as we approach #xmas and the #scammer scum are out in force.
https://www.tsscot.co.uk/a-z-scams/
#TradingStandards
#Scotland
#ScammerScum

https://www.europesays.com/uk/622561/ How rogue number plates are beating traffic cameras #Headlines #News #NumberPlate #NumberPlateRecognition #NumberPlates #PersonalisedPlate #PersonalisedPlates #RegistrationPlates #TopStories #TradingStandards

Illegal vapes seized after shop sells to 15‑year‑old in Neath Port Talbot sting

The sale was made to a Police Youth Volunteer (PYV) taking part in a joint operation between South Wales Police’s Community Safety Team and Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards. The volunteers visited five businesses to test whether staff would follow the law on age‑restricted sales of fireworks and vapes.

Fireworks sellers passed the test

Two of the businesses were selling fireworks and both immediately asked the volunteers to confirm they were over 18 before refusing sales.

Vape sale leads to seizure

However, one shop sold a vape to the 15‑year‑old volunteer. Enquiries with the seller and store manager led to Trading Standards seizing more than 100 disposable vapes suspected to be illegal. After further scrutiny, 84 were later returned as legal, but the remainder were confiscated.

Investigations are now continuing with a local wholesaler reported to be the source of the illegal products, which have been banned since earlier this year.

Two further shops in Neath were also tested and refused sales after asking for ID as soon as the volunteers entered.

Police and council reaction

PCSO Andrew Neal said:

“The laws around the sale of fireworks and vapes to children are there for a reason – both can be extremely dangerous when in irresponsible hands. It is pleasing that the vast majority of the businesses visited during this operation were found to be compliant with legislation, yet it is equally disappointing to find that one business was still caught selling products to children and later found to be stocking illegal items. This was also a great showcase for the important work carried out by our Police Youth Volunteers – well done to those involved.”

Councillor Cen Phillips added:

“Enforcement agencies share intelligence on this kind of activity and coordinate action where possible to protect the public and to help prevent anti‑social behaviour. Trading Standards carry out routine test purchasing and advise businesses on their obligations in respect of underage sales and product safety, taking enforcement action where necessary to ensure that all products sold in our community are safe.”

Public advice

Members of the public who suspect illegal sales of age‑restricted goods are urged to call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

#fireworks #illegalVapes #neathPortTalbot #neathPortTalbotCouncil #policeYouthVolunteer #southWalesPolice #tradingStandards

Halesowen Mini Market & Butchers owner prosecuted for food safety breaches

The owner of Halesowen Mini Market & Butchers, Mr Farouk Rasoul, pleaded guilty to six offences under food…
#Birmingham #UnitedKingdom #UK #GB #England #Headlines #News #Europe #EU #Britain #Courtcase #EnvironmentalHealth #Foodhygiene #GreatBritain #halesowenhighstreet #halesowenminimarket&butchers #TradingStandards
https://www.europesays.com/uk/525801/

https://www.europesays.com/uk/525801/ Halesowen Mini Market & Butchers owner prosecuted for food safety breaches #Birmingham #Britain #CourtCase #England #EnvironmentalHealth #FoodHygiene #GreatBritain #HalesowenHighStreet #HalesowenMiniMarket&Butchers #TradingStandards #UK #UnitedKingdom

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 →

#ClassicVape #CllrCenPhillips #counterfeitCigarettes #illegalTobacco #illegalVapes #Neath #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #Pontardawe #PontardaweVape #PortTalbot #QueenStreet #Taibach #TradingStandards #VapeLand

Swansea magistrates extend closure of vape shops in crackdown on illegal sales

Eight vape shops across Swansea will remain shut for up to three months after magistrates backed council action against the sale of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco.

The closures follow Operation Ceecee & Marvel, a three‑day joint operation led by Swansea Council’s Trading Standards with support from South Wales Police, HMRC, Home Office Immigration officers and tobacco detection dogs.

Raids lead to extended closures

Officers targeted 14 shops where earlier test purchases had confirmed illicit sales. Nine were issued with temporary 48‑hour closure notices while the council sought longer orders through the courts. Magistrates have now approved applications to extend the closure of eight shops, while the owner of the ninth has opted to shut down permanently.

The shops ordered to remain closed are:

• Morriston Mini Market, 86 Woodfield Street, Morriston
• Crystal Vapes, 95 High Street, Gorseinon
• World of Vapes, 89 St Teilo Street, Pontarddulais
• Bob Marley Vapes, 75 St Helen’s Road, Swansea city centre
• Asia Vapes, 40 St Helen’s Road, Swansea city centre
• Kubus Vapes, 31b St Helen’s Road, Swansea city centre
• Bob CBD Vapes, 29 Union Street, Swansea city centre
• Snoop Vapes, 71 High Street, Swansea city centre

More Trading Standards news

Stay up to date with the latest investigations, prosecutions and community crackdowns led by Trading Standards teams across Swansea Bay and beyond.

Browse all Trading Standards stories

Illegal goods seized and arrests made

The raids led to the seizure of 971 packs of cigarettes, 970 packets of hand‑rolling tobacco and 2,292 vapes, with a combined retail value of more than £77,000. Five vehicles linked to the shops were also confiscated, and 11 people were arrested in connection with the sales.

Council and police warn of risks

Andrew Williams, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services (Performance), said:

“This council is taking the sale of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco in Swansea very seriously. Our Trading Standards Team has made this issue a priority… I’m delighted that magistrates have supported our applications to extend the closure of eight shops in the city.”

Inspector Andrew Hedley, South Wales Police, added:

“Counterfeit tobacco and vapes are not only illegal, but they are incredibly dangerous for those who use them. These businesses were all given warnings to stop selling these items but disregarded them. They will now face prosecution for various offences as a result.”

Related articles

Nine Swansea vape shops shut down in major crackdown on illegal sales
Trading Standards and police closed nine shops across the city after uncovering widespread sales of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco.

Second jail term for man selling counterfeit tobacco in Swansea
A repeat offender has been jailed again after being caught with thousands of counterfeit cigarettes destined for city shops.

Port Talbot trader branded ‘epitome of a rogue trader’ after probe
A Port Talbot businessman has been heavily criticised in court following a Trading Standards investigation into his practices.

Illegal vapes, fake dolls and tobacco stash seized in Neath Port Talbot raids
Raids across Neath Port Talbot uncovered counterfeit goods including vapes, toys and tobacco products.

#AsiaVapes #BobCBDVapes #BobMarleyVapes #Business #CllrAndrewWilliams #counterfeitTobacco #CrystalVapes #Gorseinon #HighStreet #illegalVapes #KubusVapes #Morriston #MorristonMiniMarket #Pontarddulais #retail #SnoopVapes #SouthWalesPolice #StHelensRoad #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #TradingStandards #UnionStreet #vapeShop #vapeShopClosure #vapes #WoodfieldStreet #WorldOfVapes

The Birmingham shop ordered to close as police warn of ‘prison risk’

A Birmingham shop has been forced to shut by police after concerns over crime and anti-social behaviour there.…
#Birmingham #UnitedKingdom #UK #GB #England #Headlines #News #Europe #EU #anti-socialbehaviour #Britain #closureorder #GreatBritain #InspectorNeilKirkpatrick #KingsHeath #neighbourhoodpolicing #TheTicTac #TradingStandards
https://www.europesays.com/uk/314307/

https://www.europesays.com/uk/314307/ The Birmingham shop ordered to close as police warn of ‘prison risk’ #AntiSocialBehaviour #Birmingham #Britain #ClosureOrder #England #GreatBritain #InspectorNeilKirkpatrick #KingsHeath #NeighbourhoodPolicing #TheTicTac #TradingStandards #UK #UnitedKingdom