D-Day for Hartlepool convenience store as licence is reviewed over 'illegal vapes' sales

Hartlepool Borough Council trading standards officers and Cleveland Police executed a search warrant at 11 O’Clock Shop, in Stockton Road, in November.

According to the licensing review application, 133 illegal vapes were found, 33 below the shop counter and 100 in the van parked outside, which belonged to store boss Devinder Malhotra.

The devices had a total estimated street value of £1,729.

Officers were also advised CCTV at the premises was “not working”.

The visit came after a council officer made an earlier test purchase at the shop and was shown four different flavours of Crystal Prime 7000 Puffs, which contain 15ml of liquid and are “therefore illegal to be sold”.

Trading standards officers previously searched the premises in October 2022 and found 296 illicit vapes with an estimated street value of more than £3,000, which led to a “final written warning” for Mr Malhotra.

A council licensing sub-committee meeting takes place on Tuesday, March 5, to review the store’s licence.

Cleveland Police state “the sale of illegal vapes and the failure to maintain a working CCTV system is of great concern”.

Craig Blundred, council director of public health, has also supported the investigation due to “concerns around the availability of illicit vapes and the potential risk to the public and specifically young people”.

Council reports state Mr Malhotra admitted selling the non-compliant device to the undercover officer in November but “denied that he was otherwise selling them”.

He claimed they had been delivered on a “trial basis” and he didn’t pay for them.