Thousands of illegal vapes were seized from the streets of Hampstead, Highgate and the surrounding area last year.

It’s not hard to find vapes being sold across the UK in convenience shops, but buyers have been warned that some traders are selling counterfeit brands.

These might be cheap, but could be dangerous, with tank sizes larger than the legal safe limit or incorrect health warnings.

One shop - Maxxi Food and Wine in Topsfield Parade, Crouch End – had its licence revoked after “non-compliant e-cigarettes” along with other banned goods were being sold.

A Freedom of Information request obtained by Vape Club, an online vape retailer, shows that in 2022 Camden Council seized 1,849 illegal vapes from businesses in the borough.

It was a massive jump from the year before, where only 149 were taken. The data also records 320 vapes seized in 2019.

In comparison, council officers have seized far more illegal cigarette packs from local businesses, with a whopping 46,990 found in 2018. Data also shows 1,020 packs were taken in 2019 and 1,120 in 2022.

Haringey

Haringey Council were able to provide the number of illegal vapes seized so far this year, 275 products, and said 612 were taken in 2022.

And between 2019 and 2021, fewer than 80 vapes were collected in the borough.

However just like Camden, far more cigarette packs were seized, including 1,792 in 2022.

In 2021 just 182 were seized, 124 in 2020 and 653 in 2019.

Westminster

Westminster Council has also revealed the number of vapes seized in the borough in 2023, which was 9,076.

In 2022, there were also 25,673 vapes seized and 2,182 in 2021.

The data only records 319 illegal cigarettes collected in 2018 and 143 in 2014.

Barnet

Barnet has recorded the fewest illegal vapes seized of the four boroughs listed.

Just 199 were taken in 2022 and 96 in 2021.

Far more cigarettes have been seized over the years, including 11,638 in 2022, 15,817 in 2021 and 16 in 2019.