IT PRESENTED as a Lemon & Lime flavoured vape, and the shop sold it to a 17 year old customer. However, that vape contained nicotine – and it’s illegal to sell vapes containing nicotine to under-18s.

The shop that sold the vape is Al-Haramain Superstore in Whitehorse Lane, E1. The young person who bought it was a volunteer conducting a test purchase in an operation conducted by Tower Hamlets Trading Standards officers, working with the Metropolitan Police. The shop’s employee, Mr Md Al Amin, did not ask the buyer how old he was or ask for ID.

The sale led to Mr Al Amin and the shop, Al-Haramain Ltd, being prosecuted by the Council. The sale of the vape was worse because the Council had previously given advice and guidance to the shop about how to prevent under-age sales of age-restricted products.

The case was heard at Thames Magistrates’ Court on 8th September 2026. Mrs Ashrafi Ashrafi, a director of Al-Haramain Ltd, pleaded guilty on behalf of the company. She acknowledged that she should have provided staff with more guidance to prevent them selling vapes to under-18s. The court fined the company £800 and ordered it to pay £1,995 in prosecution costs and a £320 victim surcharge.

Mr Al Amin had pleaded guilty to selling the vape to an under-18 at a hearing at Thames Magistrates' Court on 24th March 2026. He was fined £146, ordered to pay £100 in costs and a £58 victim surcharge.

 
Cllr Kabir Ahmed

Cllr Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement (another job title from the Ministry of Silly Names), was pleased with the outcome. “We are committed to keeping our young people safe,” he said, “and regularly carry out test purchases to ensure that businesses don’t put their profits before the health of our communities.”

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