A vape shop in Rossington, Doncaster, has been forced to close its doors for three months after Trading Standards caught it selling illegal vapes and counterfeit cigarettes yet again. The closure is the maximum allowed under the law, and it follows a full year of warnings, seizures, and enforcement action that failed to stop the offending.
A year of warnings that changed nothing
The business, known as OK SHOP, was the subject of multiple Trading Standards investigations over the past year. Officers found evidence it was selling illegal vapes and counterfeit cigarettes, seized large quantities of illicit goods, and took enforcement action. Despite all of that, the shop kept trading the same way.
When Trading Standards returned for another inspection, they once again found contraband on sale. That repeated defiance is what turned a routine enforcement case into one of the toughest penalties available.
The closure order
Using powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Trading Standards officers first issued a 48-hour closure notice on the premises. They then applied to Doncaster Magistrates’ Court for a full closure order, which was granted on 29 September 2026.
The order means the business must remain closed for three months. Anyone entering the premises without reasonable excuse could face an unlimited fine or prison. The owners must also pay £2,436.14 toward enforcement costs.
Councillor Gemma Cobby, Doncaster’s cabinet member for regulation and enforcement, said: “Illegal trading has no place in Doncaster… The sale of counterfeit tobacco and illegal vape products is not a victimless crime. Their distribution poses a serious health risk to the public, and that is why we have zero tolerance for this kind of criminality.”
What this means for vapers
This is a reminder that the cheapest vape deal on the high street is not always a legal one. Counterfeit cigarettes and illegal vapes dodge safety checks, age verification, and the duty rules that compliant products follow. If a shop is selling at prices that look too good to be true, it is worth asking why.
Buyers in the UK can stay on the right side of the law by sticking to compliant, taxed products. Our guide to the UK vape tax rules explains what legal vape products look like in 2026, and our roundup of the best disposable vapes only features devices that are sold through legitimate channels.
Source: Talking Retail