Walsall shop handed £2,400 court bill after selling vape to underage customers
A Walsall shop and its worker were fined over £2,700 for selling a vape to 16-year-old volunteers despite prior warnings and guidance.Summary
DSL Loha Ltd, trading as The Plug in Walsall, was ordered to pay £2,428.44 by Dudley Magistrates’ Court after selling a disposable vape to two 16-year-old volunteers on March 12. Shop worker Pamkag Mehta was fined £2,736.43 for selling the vape without requesting identification and for failing to cooperate with trading standards. Walsall's trading standards had previously provided the business with advice, including guidance on age verification and refusal registers, but these were not followed. The business owner, Dharmendra Singh, provided conflicting information and could not demonstrate adequate staff training. Councillor Adam Hicken emphasized the seriousness of the breach and the council’s commitment to enforcing age-restricted sales laws, stating that the cost of the illegal sale far outweighed the initial £3 profit.
(Source：Birmingham Live)
