Metropolitan Police officers, led by the National Crime Agency, cracked down on businesses selling illegal vape products and other illegal and counterfeit merchandise in the Brixton district of south London, as reported by the Times.
"We acknowledge the problem won't be solved overnight or through disruptive action alone," said Sal Melki, senior lead for the second stage of Machinize, the multi-agency approach to combat the illegal activity. "We are therefore working closely with the government to use the learning from this operation to build on and develop long-term solutions."
The police officers spent hours checking out local businesses that were suspected of selling banned products out of their legitimate businesses that are used as fronts for the sale of illegal items.
The multi-agency operation was the largest of its kind to date — 2,734 businesses were visited or raided, 924 people were arrested, and £10.7 million worth of suspected illegal products were seized, which is over $12 million USD. About 110,000 illegal vapes were part of the seizure.
Some countries have banned single-use vapes, and other countries are considering it in the interest of youth health and the harmful impact they are having on the environment.
Disposable vapes are appealing to younger people, and they are more susceptible to nicotine addiction since their brains are not yet fully developed. Nicotine increases the risk of certain health issues, and nicotine can harm brain development, which can have long-term impacts. Vapes also contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful to human health, increasing the risk for lung disease.
The environment is also a chief consideration in the ban of single-use vapes. They are often discarded improperly, either in the regular trash or simply discarded onto the ground instead of into a designated recycling bin or facility. The lithium-ion batteries can pose a fire risk, and the plastic commonly used to produce the casings does not fully break down in the environment, but instead breaks down into microplastics, tiny plastic particles that end up in our oceans, soil, and air, causing health issues for wildlife and humans.
The South London raids are a strong beginning toward enforcing the sale of vape cartridges and other illegal products. Jo Platt, Labour MP for Leigh & Atherton, nearby, called for "stronger powers, better co-ordination and real accountability."
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