Illegal e-cigarette imports in the UK have surged, with 2 million seized since 2022, a rate of almost 4 per minute.
According to reports from Lancs, the United Kingdom has seen an influx of 2 million illegal e-cigarettes since 2022, as the country is striving to curb the surging trend of illegal e-cigarette sales – equivalent to almost 4 units sold per minute.
According to the latest information obtained through a freedom of information request by Vape Club, an organization advocating against illegal e-cigarettes, the number of illegal e-cigarettes seized across various regions in the UK during the first four months of 2023 is seven times higher than the total seizures for the entire year of 2021. The data indicates that Lancashire County is a hotspot for illegal e-cigarettes.
Since last year, a total of 14,552 illicit e-cigarettes have been seized. Over the past four years, the number of seized illicit e-cigarettes has increased, with only 333 cases recorded in 2019.
The industry calls for these products to be treated with the same seriousness as counterfeit cigarettes, as the number of illegal e-cigarettes seized in the UK this year is more than twice that of counterfeit cigarettes. Since 2021, London, the Southeast, and the Northwest have consistently ranked among the top three regions in terms of illegal e-cigarette seizures, with the highest volume of illegal e-cigarette imports being recorded at the UK’s busiest border.
