Company fined for sale and supply of illegal e-cigarettes

A company has been ordered to pay over £9000 after Tameside Trading Standards officers seized  illegal disposable e-cigarettes from two of its shops in Hyde and Ashton.

VIP Bury Ltd, Brulimar House, Jubilee Road, Middleton pleaded guilty at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 18 July 2025 to five charges in relation to the sale and supply of illegal disposable e-cigarettes.

The court heard that Tameside Council trading standards officers visited two shops owned by VIP Bury Ltd – VIP E-cigarettes, The Mall, Hyde in December 2023 and Ecig (E liquids and Accessories), the Arcades Shopping Centre, Ashton-under-Lyne, in November 2023 and seized a total of 971 illegal disposable e-cigarettes.

Tameside magistrates sentenced VIP Bury Ltd to a fine of £6,800 with a victim surcharge of £2,000 and  £200 costs. Company director Howard Bland also paid £2123 in costs and was given a caution for the offences. A forfeiture order was also granted for the seized e-cigarettes to be destroyed.

Tameside Council Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neigbourhoods Cllr Laura Boyle said: “Well done to our trading standards team for yet another successful prosecution. Illicit vapes fund wider crime, harm public health and undermine legitimate retailers. We will continue to take robust action to tackle this organised criminal trade that harms our communities.”