The 2026 Illegal Vapes and Nicotine Product Report
Vape Club, the UK’s largest online vape kit and vape pod retailer, gathered FOI data from local authorities to shed light on the UK’s illegal vape trade.
In our annual Illegal Vapes report for 2026, we have gone even further to update and uncover the statistics behind illicit vaping products on UK high streets.
Following on from our 2025 and 2024 illegal vapes reports, we not only explore how illegal vapes are targeting local areas, but also look at where disposable vapes are still being sold after the ban on 1st June 2025, illegal cigarette seizures, and the extent of trading standards inspections taking place to tackle the issue.
We find that the issue of illegal vapes continues to blight high streets across the country. Reports of trading standards taking ‘huge’ hauls of illegal vapes seized in single raids across the country, each worth tens of thousands of pounds to gangs - read on to see how many illegal vapes and other nicotine products have been seized in your area.
Vape Club’s mission is to:- Raise awareness and expose the extent of the issue of illegal vaping products in the UK.
- Outline what’s needed from the government to stamp out the illegal vape market.
- Guide the public on how to identify illegal vaping products.
Key Report Findings
- 1.3 million (1,265,307) illegal vapes have been seized across the UK over the last year, the equivalent of two (2.4) seized every minute from UK high streets
- Illegal vapes seized last year have an estimated street value of at least £10 million
- Nearly 5 million (4,860,762) illegal vapes have been seized over the last 3 years, which hold an estimated street value of £39 million
- The area with the highest illegal vape seizures last year is Central Bedfordshire Council. In close proximity to Luton airport, it has seen over 345 thousand seized, the largest number of illicit vapes seized from their streets of anywhere in Britain over the last year
- Trade hubs continue to be targeted - Kent, Hillingdon, and Swansea - 55% of council areas right across the UK have seized thousands of illicit vapes off the high street last year, areas which have seen illegal activity stretch right across the UK from South Lanarkshire in Scotland, down to Dorset, and Lincolnshire and Cumberland in between
- Some areas have seen total vape seizures reach three quarters of a million, when looking over the last three years. These include Kent, the London Borough of Hillingdon, and Central Bedfordshire.
- Trading Standards teams undertook fewer inspections for illegal vapes, cigarettes, or nicotine pouch products - there were 8,881 trading standards inspections of premises selling vaping devices, cigarettes and tobacco, or nicotine pouch products last year across the UK - this is a -5% drop compared to the previous year
- Illegal cigarettes continue to be an issue operating parallel to the illicit vape market, as over 7 million (7,201,075) cigarettes were seized across Britain last year
- Hull City Council seized over two million illegal cigarettes from the high street last year, over two fold more than the next highest area, Lincolnshire County.
Illegal Vapes Britain: the data behind 3 years of illicit vape seizures
Illegal vape and nicotine product statistics
1.3 million (1,265,307) illegal vapes were seized by Trading Standards teams across the UK last year, equivalent to two illegal vapes seized every minute from UK high streets. This equates to over three thousand (3,467) illegal vapes seized every day from UK high streets.
The value of this illicit black market is huge for the gangs involved. The street value of illegal vapes seized last year is estimated to be over £10 million*. This rises to £39 million looking at the last 3 years.
Where are Britain's illegal vape hotspots, according to the latest annual data?
The issue of illegal vapes is spreading beyond major cities, and increasingly moving into the surrounding towns and local high streets. The data highlights some of the UKs main port and logistic trade hubs being targeted by illegal imports.
Fact: Over the last year, there’s been enough illegal vapes seized in the UK to reach outer space, reaching a height of 138km if stacked vertically.
Central Bedfordshire Council has seized the largest number of illicit vapes in the UK - 345,718 were seized, which is a three-fold increase compared to the previous year. The council has seen a significant and consistent increase in illicit vaping products in recent years. In total across three years, the council has seen over half a million illegal vapes seized (511,877).
Second highest for total illegal vape seizures is Bolton Council, with 259,492 representing a six fold increase, and Kent County Council with 171,049 - a 22% increase compared to the previous year.
Unfortunately, we see similar numbers to previous years in the latest annual data. The market continues to be targeted, and the evidence points to current enforcement measures aren’t enough to deter the products being imported into the UK
Which trade hubs are being targeted for illegal vape imports, according to the data?
- Luton Airport - with its close proximity to Central Bedfordshire Council, a three-fold rise in local seizures follows a significant drop in illicit vape imports to Heathrow and seizures in the local Hillingdon area.
- North West regional supply chain hubs in Bolton - more than one in twenty businesses in the Bolton area are ‘Transportation And Storage’ (according to ONS data, accessed on Varbes).
- Port of Dover, Eurotunnel, and the parcel hub at Dartford - each within the Kent Council area, and named by the council as illicit vape hubs
- Heathrow airport - close proximity to Hillingdon and has seen the highest number of illegal vape seizures cumulatively over the last 3 years, though the number of seizures fell last year compared to the previous.
- Port of Swansea - Swansea remains in the top 5 areas for number of illicit vapes seized, despite a -73% drop in seizures
Which council areas saw the greatest increase in illegal vape seizures last year?
Some areas have seen significant increases in illegal vape activity. Each of the below areas have seen thousands of illicit vapes seized over the last year
- Medway (+3,224%)
- Essex County Council (+1,329%)
- Torfaen County Borough Council (+3030%)
- Bolton Council (+467%)
- Westminster City Council (+397%)
Note: We have only highlighted the ‘increase’ areas where the latest annual data is also significantly higher compared to 2 years previous, to provide a reliable picture of an upward trend
Which regions see the greatest number of illegal vapes?
Over the last year, we’ve seen a falling number of illegal vape seizures in some major British cities. This may suggest criminal networks are targeting illegal products in smaller towns and moving away from major hubs, or simply mean trading standards enforcement haven’t been able to dedicate the time to tackle the issue.
London has seen one of the largest drops in illegal vape seizures, falling -85% last year compared to the previous. A large part of this is a significant drop in seizures in the London Borough of Hillingdon, which indicates that either gangs have stopped targeting Heathrow, or they’ve been able to dodge Trading Standards enforcement.
The East of England saw 390,083 illicit vapes seized, more than double what they saw in the previous year and the highest across the UK last year. This represents a 101% rise.
In the second highest region, the North West, there were 343,135 illicit vapes seized. This is a 54% increase compared to the previous year. The number is more than two fold higher than the regional average.
A similar increase was seen in Yorkshire and the Humber, where 42,880 illicit vapes were seized last year, a 43% increase compared to the previous year.
Our conservative estimate for the value of the black market is ~£300 million per year, put into the pockets of nefarious gangs. Though we believe the actual value of the black market reaches £1 billion or more, based on consumer purchasing habit data. The government needs to get a grip of the issue and put the correct framework in place which is proactive in tackling the issue, because there’s a huge number of illicit products still slipping through the net.
We’ve long called for a retail and distributor licensing framework to be implemented for the vape sector. This would provide trading standards the power and resources to effectively enforce the law right across the UK. It’s a nationwide issue and is affecting our high streets and local areas.
Dan Marchant, founding member of UK Vaping Industry Association and Director at Vape Club
Illicit cigarette seizures highlight the scale of the black market
Illicit cigarettes continue to be the scourge of high streets, as our data shows that products were seized in their millions over the last year.
Both illegal cigarettes and illegal vape products are run by the same criminal networks, who are aware of how little enforcement there is to act as a deterrent, and are able to create a smokescreen to the key perpetrators.
- Over 7 million (7,201,075) cigarettes were seized across Britain last year
- This remains higher than 2022 and 2023 figures, which sit at 6.7 million and 4.6 million respectively
- Since 2023 to the latest year, this culminates into nearly 22 million (21,959,311) illicit cigarettes or HRT packets seized over the last three years.
Legitimate vape products will start to be taxed by the UK government in late 2026. Unfortunately, with the proposed levels of tax added to the price of a standard 10ml eliquid, it will be cheaper to buy hugely harmful illicit cigarettes from under a counter than a vape.
This is a major concern, and something that jeopardises the health of any quitting smoker looking for a cheaper and safer alternative to cigarettes.
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) stats have consistently shown that after health, economic factors have been a major driver behind smokers switching to vaping. If you take that away it could be a serious public health disaster for the UK.
Dan Marchant, founding member of UK Vaping Industry Association and Director at Vape Club
National Trading Standards teams are aware that illegal cigarettes and vapes are part of one network. Joint operations - Operation Cece and Operation Joseph - have been in force to tackle the availability and sales of illicit cigarettes, vapes, and other nicotine products.
Which areas are targeted with illegal cigarettes?
Hull City Council seized over two million illegal cigarettes from the high street last year. This is over two fold more than the next highest area, Lincolnshire. As with the illicit vape market, illegal cigarettes and tobacco are a nationwide issue in the UK.
The Hull City area, home to Humber Ports complex which is the UK's busiest port area providing direct access to the north of England and beyond, serves as a vital gateway for European and global trade has been targeted for a number of years with illegal products, as trading standards teams try to control the issue.
Other areas targeted with high numbers of illegal cigarettes are Lincolnshire County Council with three quarters of a million (769,784), also within the Humber Ports complex, and Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council with over half a million seized (545,661).
How equipped are Trading Standards to tackle the illegal vape and nicotine product black market?
In March 2025, the Government announced it is investing £10 million into Trading Standards to bolster operations to tackle illegal vapes in local communities for the next year, and to fund an expected 80 more apprentice enforcement officers. Though how effective has this been, so far?
Our data found Trading Standards teams undertook -5% fewer inspections for illegal vapes, cigarettes, or nicotine pouch products last year, compared to the previous. Though what were the numbers behind that?
- There were 8,881 trading standards inspections of premises selling vaping devices, cigarettes and tobacco, or nicotine pouch products last year across the UK
- Despite the decrease last year, the number of inspections remains on an upward trajectory compared to each of the four years prior to that
- On average, each Trading Standards inspection across the UK seized nearly one thousand (949) illegal nicotine products out of shops, off the high street, and out of the hands of the public
- Looking specifically at illicit vapes, each inspection finds an average of 142 illegal products
What are the numbers for local areas?
Swansea was the most pro-active Trading Standards team in terms of inspection actions. They undertook 1,062 inspections, the highest in the UK and more than double that of the second highest, Surrey County Council & Buckinghamshire Council (566), who share enforcement responsibilities. Third highest was Kent Council with 309 inspections.
The ‘most successful’ raids in terms of average number of illegal vapes seized per Trading Standards inspections were seen in Central Bedfordshire (9,878), Bolton (2,093), and Hillingdon (1,762), though Cumberland (757) and Cambridgeshire County (690) also ranked in the top five.
It is incredibly disappointing that despite increased funding and recruitment for Trading Standards this year, we actually saw fewer inspections. With major regulatory change in the form of the disposable vapes ban, we should have seen significantly more scrutiny, not less.
We need substantially increased funding for Trading Standards and far more enforcement officers if the government is serious about tackling this issue.
Our proposed licensing scheme would deliver tens of millions of pounds annually direct to Trading Standards – giving them the resources for genuine proactive enforcement and the ability to monitor every retailer, at no cost to the taxpayer.
Dan Marchant, founding member of UK Vaping Industry Association and Director at Vape Club
Where do trading standards find illegal vapes and cigarettes stashed?
Unscrupulous retailers and illicit product gangs go to great lengths to hide illegal products from authorities, creating sophisticated hiding places.
According to reports from Hull trading standards, “hidey holes canine noses have sniffed out have included a compartment inside a concrete drain, a delivery chute from an upstairs flat, a false mirror and a concrete floor safe with a hidden hydraulic lift” - Tobacco seizures double – hitting 2.4 million cigarettes – Hull CC News.
Where else do illegal vape and cigarettes get hidden?
- A fake fridge with a hydraulic opening mechanism (Devon and Cornwall - March ‘25)
- Electromagnetic loft hatches and hidden wall compartments (NE Lincs - July ‘25)
- Parked vehicles with hidden stashes (Bedfordshire - July ‘25)
- A hydraulic lift which rose from the floor (Bedfordshire - October ‘25)
- The inside of an electric butchering bone saw (Sunderland and Washinton - July ‘25)
- Secret tunnels dug underneath the shop (Hull - July ‘25 as reporting by the BBC)
- Under floorboards (Rugby - Nov ‘24)
- A hidden compartment underneath a toilet (Rochdale - October ‘24)
How successfully has the ban on disposable vapes been enforced?
Data finds that thousands of disposable vapes continued to be stocked on UK high streets, even after the national ban of disposable vaping products.
Since 1st June 2025, there have been over a quarter of a million (255,648) illegal disposable vapes seized from the high street. That’s equivalent to nearly ten thousand seized every week in the second half of the year.
The areas where these illegal products have been found in their highest numbers are:
- Bolton Council - 30,687
- Hull City Council - 23,572
- Staffordshire County Council - 14,537
- Hillingdon - 11,959
- Brighton and Hove City Council - 11,272
Since the disposable vape ban, industry data from millions of data points shows the number of single use batteries being sold to consumers has fallen by -68%** . Vape Club's own internal data reveals that six months on from the disposable vape ban, battery waste was set to be reduced by 2 million a year.
Why do we need the Retail & Distributor Licensing Framework?
A licensing scheme is crucial to provide sufficient legal framework to the vape industry; supporting legitimate businesses, restoring public trust and taking action against rogue traders.
Here at Vape Club, we have sought to provide the outline for such a framework, alongside the UK Vaping Industry Association, in the proposed Retail and Distributor Licensing Framework.
The Framework’s Objectives are:
- To create a sustainable and viable funding base for enforcement and inspection functions relating to the vape sector
- To foster a more responsible and accountable sector by tackling key concerns and challenges such as youth access and illicit product sales
- To better enable regulators and Trading Standards to enforce existing and future legislation proactively
- To reinstate trust in the legitimate vape sector and enable vaping to fulfill its full potential in helping the UK hit its smoke-free 2030 ambition
The framework has received attention in government, having recently been referenced and debated in the House of Lords. We will, however, continue to call for the change until it’s in place and actively protecting our streets and public from illicit products.
How to spot an illegal vape
To decrease the risk of innocent vapers being exploited by the vaping black market there are tell-tale signs of illegal vaping products to look out for. If you see a vaping product being sold with any one of the below features, it should be avoided:
- Volume of pod / tank (the part which includes the coil) is over 2ml
- Nicotine level is higher than 20mg/ml
- Poor quality packaging with low-resolution photos or labels
- Packaging doesn’t show required nicotine warnings
- Packaging doesn’t display a full ingredient list. These should be visible with allergens highlighted
- Device name or labelling in a foreign language
- Check the product registration on the MHRA website (you will need your product ECID code to do this)
Many manufacturers will have an authentication code to check the device is genuine. However, while it’s a good indication or authenticity, it isn’t mandatory for legitimate products.
Methodology
To examine the issue of illegal vapes in the UK, we submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all local authorities. Of these, 120 responded with data covering the period from 2020 to 2025. The information provided includes:
- The number of illegal vapes and cigarette packets seized
- The number of nicotine pouches seized
- The number of disposable vapes seized post-ban in 2025
- The number of sellers caught with illegal vapes
- The fines or penalties issued for these offences
- The number of retailers that have been given premises closure orders due to illegal vape operations
* Average street value calculations based on average sale price of £8 per vape
** Based on the difference in battery devices sold in an average month pre-ban, to an average month post-ban
