A Woolwich mobile phone repair and vape shop is facing fines and costs of £26,570 for selling illegal vapes and tobacco products.
On 19 November AFG Mobile Repairs in Woolwich, the business owner, and shop manager were fined for failing to follow advice from the trading standards team from the council, after hidden illegal products were found under floor panelling.
The vapes and tobacco products were illegal due to incorrect or lack of safety messaging and the quantity of nicotine liquid contents exceeding the legal amount allowed.
The business was visited a total of four times by the council. The first visit in September 2024 provided shop staff with advice on how to identify illegal vapes. In November 2024, the shop was revisited, and 253 illegal vapes and 269 tobacco products were found. The staff member present said that the products were awaiting collection and were not for sale.
In December 2024, an adult test purchaser bought an illegal vape from the business, which resulted in the seizure of 22 illegal vapes and 55 illegal tobacco products. Mr Shazwan Safi, the business owner, claimed he had not been aware of these goods being on his premises.
In April 2025 the shop was revisited, and 95 illegal vapes and 79 smokeless tobacco products were found in a bag in an alcove and under floor panelling. All the items were seized.
Cllr Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement said: “This hefty fine is a positive result for the council, indicating the seriousness of the offence. The products found not only failed to follow trading standards guidance but have the potential to damage our residents’ health. It’s unacceptable for businesses to possess and hide these dangerous products and we will not come down lightly on them.
“Our Trading Standards team will continue to visit local businesses and provide advice to remove as many unsafe products as possible, making our borough safer.”
Bexley Magistrates Court sent a strong message by stating that the sale of illegal vapes and tobacco was “a public health matter which deserved a significant penalty.”
Anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco or vape products can report it to the council by calling 020 8921 8157 or emailing tradingstandards@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.
If you want to provide this information anonymously visit the London Trading Standards website.