BARNSLEY Council issued the fourth-highest amount of fines in the country to business owners selling illegal vapes last year, new data has revealed and figures for 2026 are set to surge even higher.
A total of £15,825 was clawed back following court proceedings launched against businesses who fell foul of trading laws, predominantly the sale of now-banned single-use vapes.
Only Luton, Leicestershire and Cheshire East recorded more fines, according to a Freedom of Information request, although Barnsley’s statistics for this year have already surpassed last year’s total.
So far in 2026, Adam Casper pleaded guilty to five offences on behalf of himself and his company Beatie Enterprises Ltd, which operates Incredible Vapes on May Day Green, Barnsley town centre.
Covering offences relating to the Food Safety Act, Tobacco and Related Products Regulations and the Environmental Protection Regulations around single-use vapes, the company was ordered to pay £13,310 in fines and costs.
Mr Casper, who accepted responsibility for the issues at the shop, was also ordered to pay £2,515 in fines and costs for his role in the company.
Arman Imami, the owner of Delicii Mini Market, on Sheffield Road, and Khalid Dyarie Mohamadi, the former owner of JD Mini Market, on Barnsley Road in Goldthorpe, both pleaded guilty to separate offences during last week’s hearings.
Together, the two cases saw almost £5,400 in penalties imposed for selling illicit products, breaching important regulations and failing to act on improvement notices.
David Phillips, from Vape Superstore, which submitted the FOI, said: “The volume of illegal vapes being seized across the UK is alarming.
“Many of these products bypass UK safety regulations and may contain excessive nicotine levels or untested ingredients.
“It’s encouraging to see councils taking enforcement seriously through seizures, investigations and fines to help prevent illegal products from reaching consumers and responsible retailers.”
As of last June, the supply and sale of disposable vapes was prohibited in the UK but Barnsley Council’s enforcement officers have continued to clamp down on businesses who have opted to flout regulations.
Single-use vapes, in their brightly-coloured packaging and variety of fruity flavours, had become a ‘key driver behind the alarming rise in youth vaping’.
Since the introduction of the ban, anybody selling the illicit items risks a £200 fine, with repeat offenders facing the prospect of larger sums or even jail.
A Crimestoppers spokesperson added: “Recognising the signs of illicit vape sales and the associated exploitation can help with taking them off our streets and reducing the harm they inflict on communities.
“If the price of a vape seems too good to be true, it might be an illicit product.
“Speaking up to Crimestoppers about the sale and distribution of illicit vapes contributes to protecting public health, safeguarding vulnerable individuals from exploitation and harm and stemming the funding of criminal gangs.”
