A Woolwich phone repair shop has been fined more than £8,000 for selling a vape to a 14-year-old and stocking illegal vapes. Greenwich Council enforcers discovered 209 illicit products during a November 2024 inspection at CellfoneCity.
Illegal Vapes Found in Shop
Director Mansoor Aslam claimed that while the vapes were found in a sales cabinet and a box behind the counter, they were not for sale and were awaiting collection by the supplier. This came just one month after he had received safety guidance from the council.
In May 2025, the Greens End business sold a vape to a 14-year-old test purchaser. The staff member involved fled the premises, with colleagues denying he worked there.
Court Proceedings and Penalties
CellfoneCity and Mr Aslam appeared in court after pleading guilty to possessing vapes without required health warnings and exceeding nicotine liquid volume limits, making them illegal. The director also pleaded guilty to selling a vape to a minor.
The business was fined £8,190 and ordered to pay costs of £4,810 at Bromley Magistrates' Court on May 14. Mr Aslam must also pay a £2,080 fine.
A Greenwich Council spokesperson said: 'Our Trading Standards team work hard to take unsafe products off our streets and hold businesses accountable for underage sales. After providing Cell Fone City with guidance and support, they continued to stock illegal vapes.'
'Businesses which are prepared to sell dangerous and addictive products to the public and even children can expect to be hit with hefty fines and criminal convictions. Nicotine vapes are highly addictive and should only be used by adults to help them stop smoking, that is why it is a criminal offence to put vapes in the hands of young people.'
