Inverness retailer banned from selling vapes after sales to children

A local retailer has been banned by Inverness Sheriff Court from selling vapes for 15 months through two of his retail shops after found selling the product to minors.

The two shops in the city centre of Inverness, Vapecing and Wow Mobile, run by Adnan Abbas, are both registered to sell nicotine vapour products.

“Despite repeated warnings and visits by Highland Council Trading Standards Officers, Mr Abbas continued to sell vapes to underage customers with no concern for their health or welfare,” David MacKenzie, Trading Standards manager at Highland Council, said.

Prior to the banning order being granted, Abbas and two of his employees were found to have sold vapes to underage test purchasers, deployed by Trading Standards, on two separate occasions. Both sales occurred during period July to October 2023 from the retail premises. This resulted in four separate fixed penalty notices being issued.

MacKenzi revealed that Abbas also failed to operate a robust Challenge 25 Age Verification Policy in relation to both sales which also resulted in a further two fixed penalty notices being issued for the same period for both retail premises.

“It is the responsibility of retailers to ensure they do not inadvertently sell vapes to persons underage. In light of repeated offending, we had little option but to seek an order from the court banning Mr Abbas from selling vapes through both retail premises in prominent locations within the city centre of Inverness,” MacKenzi said.