An Inverness shop owner has been issued a ban after selling vapes to children.
Adnan Abbas, who owns two shops in the city-centre, is not allowed to sell the devices for the next 15 months.
He was at the centre of an investigation by Trading Standards officers from Highland Council who sent him “repeated warnings” over his actions.
But officers found Mr Abbas was continuing to sell vapes to underage customers with “no concern for their health or welfare”.
He and two of his employees sold vapes to underage people who had been sent to the shop as a test by Trading Standards on two separate occasions between and July and October last year.
This resulted in four separate fixed penalty notices being issued.
Ban for Inverness vape seller
Daniel MacKenzie, Trading Standards manager, said: “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.”
Mr Abbas owns a shop called Vapecing, or Pencig, on Inglis Street and Wow Mobile Ltd on Lombard Street, which currently has no trading name displayed over the shop door.
Both businesses are registered to sell nicotine vapour products – or vapes.
The shop owner received a further two fixed penalty notices for failing to operate the Challenge 25 policy.
Mr MacKenzie added: “Vapes and tobacco products contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance and can only be legally sold to adults aged 18 years or over who can produce genuine photographic ID such as a drivers licence or passport when requested.
“Although the majority of vape and tobacco retail businesses comply with the law, we will not hesitate to take proportionate enforcement action when required to protect young people.
“This includes issuing fixed penalty notices and ultimately applying to the sheriff court for a banning order where retailers continuously fail a test purchase or fail to meet their legal responsibilities.
“We will also continue an extensive programme of advisory visits to shops and ‘test purchases’ using young volunteers.”
