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OVER 64 TONNES of illegal vapes have been seized and stopped from entering Ireland in the last two years.
Figures provided to The Journal Investigates reveal how the HSE’s National Environmental Health Service (NEHS) made the seizures at air and sea ports in 2023 and 2024.
Working alongside Customs and Revenue, NEHS officers seized 37.8 tonnes of illicit and non-complaint vaping products in 2023.
Between January and the beginning of December 2024, 26.6 tonnes of illegal vape products were detained and prevented from entering the Irish market.
The seizures, calculated by weight rather than value due to the scale and range of varying vaping products on the market, were made alongside multiple enforcement actions against retailers and distributors.
That included two successful prosecutions against Irish businesses last year.
However, retail representatives say the majority of illegal products are being smuggled into the State by organised criminals, and not by legitimate traders.
Benny Gilsenan, national spokesman for Retailers Against Smuggling, told The Journal Investigates:
There’s nothing whatsoever done to deal with the criminals behind this.
“The bottom line is, all of the regulations that have been brought in over the last number of years have been regulations on the legitimate trader.
“Because generally, it wouldn’t be small fries behind smuggling any of those products, it’d be big-time criminals. The very same people involved in bringing illegal drugs into the country.”
The Department of Health, who has responsibility for implementing legislation surrounding vape regulations, said in response that enforcement of current regulations is a matter for the HSE.
A HSE spokesperson said tobacco-and nicotine-inhaling control inspections at “manufacture, import, distribution and retail level” are elements of a “wider proactive surveillance programme” across the whole supply chain under its remit.
Across 2023 and 2024, the HSE said it issued 12 prohibition orders to those involved in the sale or distribution of vapes in Ireland.
The legal notices prohibit individuals or businesses from carrying out an activity deemed to be a risk or danger to public health.
Three businesses also received compliance notices as they were found to be in breach of health and safety law surrounding the nicotine-inhaling products.
During the same period, a total of 24 ‘Section 48’ notices were issued to retailers or distributors whose products exceeded legal nicotine levels.
The legal orders prohibit those identified as selling such products from selling, distributing or removing them from the premises.
In 2022 and 2023, the HSE said it successfully obtained 19 destruction orders – granted by District Courts across the country – for non-compliant nicotine-inhaling products.
These orders, which must be approved by a judge, allow authorities to safely destroy dangerous or illicit substances or products.
In November 2022, “an economic operator” was successfully prosecuted for operating an online vape business from a private dwelling, the HSE said.
We asked the HSE for further details about the retailers, distributors and manufacturers it has prosecuted or taken action against. However, at the time of publication, we had not received a response.
Separately, Revenue and Customs says it seized €66,000 in vapes containing the illegal cannabinoid Tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC.
The odorless oil is a chemical taken from the cannabis plant, and responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
It is a controlled drug in Ireland and is subject to prohibitions and restrictions. A Revenue spokesperson said the THC vape seizures were carried out in 2023 and 2024.
Ireland is already covered by strict EU laws surrounding the production, distribution and sale of vaping products.
However, the government feels the legislation doesn’t go far enough and has been working to impose tighter controls on the booming industry.
On Monday, an undercover investigation by The Journal Investigates revealed how multiple outlets in Ireland’s capital were selling disposable vapes that failed to meet health and safety regulations.
Single-use vaping products purchased by our undercover team included those not authorised for sale on the Irish market, and expired devices.
In September, cabinet approval was given to draft laws tabled by then Health Minister Stephen Donnelly which would see a complete ban on the sale, manufacture or import of single-use vapes.
The legislation would also introduce a ban on flavours that the government believes appeal to children.
The new laws would also prohibit point-of-sale vape display or advertising in shops, other than specialist stores that solely sell the products.
The proposals followed the successful 2023 ban on the sale of all nicotine inhaling products to under-18s.
Retailers Against Smuggling, which represents almost 3,000 retailers in Ireland, says more needs to be done to target the criminal element behind the illicit vape market.
One of the group’s sponsors is the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers Advisory, whose members include PJ Carroll (British American Tobacco), JTI Ireland and John Player, the companies behind vaping brands Vuse, Logic and Blu, respectively.
“We have some ordinary individuals who will go across on the ferry from here to England, and they’ll bring back duty-free cigarettes, vapes and sell them,” spokesperson Gilsenan said.
“But that’s small in comparison to what’s being done in general, over the whole market by big time criminals who feel it’s much safer for them to sell cigarettes or vapes, because the penalties are so small.”
The retail representative said until the government’s vape seller licensing system is rolled out in February 2026, “anybody” can open up a premises in Ireland and sell e-liquid products.
“They are talking about bringing in regulations governing the sale of different flavours and colours, but that’s not designed to hit the fly-by-night or the criminal,” he said.
“It’s designed to hit the genuine retailer. It’s the very same regulations for cigarettes, but there are none whatsoever there to govern the criminal.”
In a statement detailing the illicit vaping seizures, a HSE spokesperson said that the NEHS has been working alongside Customs and Revenue since 2023 to develop a “strategic approach” to dealing with non-compliant electronic cigarettes and refill containers at import level.
“The aim of this work is to detain non-compliant products at the port and airport and refuse the products free circulation status into the Irish/EU market,” a spokesperson said.
The HSE added that it is the responsibility of the manufacturer and importer of electronic cigarettes, refill containers and tobacco products to ensure that they fully comply with the law.
From next year, new licensing requirements will mean retailers wishing to sell vaping products must pay an annual fee of €800.
However, representatives of the industry feel the licence system has been brought too late by the government.
“To be honest, the horse has already bolted and now you’re going to close the gate, it’s too late,” Lorraine Carolan, a spokesperson for Responsible Vaping Ireland, said.
Carolan feels the length of time it has taken the government to implement the requirements has led to the rise in those bringing non-compliant products into the Irish market.
It’s allowed an awful lot of these phone repair shops to sell vapes. I’ve seen barbers selling them as well.
“They’re not checking for age ID, and they’re just selling non-compliant products willy-nilly.
“I really feel that they should have brought the licensing out a lot sooner when they were originally talking about it, and we mightn’t be in the problem where we are now,” she told The Journal Investigates.
Responsible Vaping Ireland, formerly known as Vape Business Ireland, represents a number of players in the Irish vape industry, including retailers and manufacturers such as Vuse, owned by tobacco giant PJ Carroll.
It has previously warned of Ireland’s black vape market, as well as the so-called “grey market”, where e-liquid products are brought across the border from Northern Ireland, bypassing HSE and EU requirements.
“I think, unfortunately, the licensing fee is still too low. I can’t see it deterring a phone repair guy or a barber shop paying €800 euro,” Carolan added.
“They’ll make the money back, especially if they are bringing in non-complaint products to the Irish market.
“I really have a fear that we’re looking at probably black market corridors now from Northern Ireland into the south.”
A target of 40 planned inspections of vape manufacturers and distributors was set by the HSE last year, according to its 2024 national plan. Carolan said this figure is “far too low”.
The Journal Investigates put Carolan’s remarks to the HSE. However, at the time of publication, the HSE had not responded.
Read our undercover investigation revealing the scale of the illicit vape market.
Reporter: Patricia Devlin • Editor: Maria Delaney • Social Media: Sadbh Cox • Main Image Design: Lorcan O’Reilly
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So it just tells you not to go to a cafe at the height of breakfast time and lunch time. Great….
drink coffee at home. .like normal people
Google tracking people’s every movements makes me a little uncomfortable
So basically you wait until its quiet, or in other words queue somewhere else.
I’d forgotten all about Google+, they didn’t forget about me though.
After a few days the once quieter times will become just as busy as the previous day’s,,,,,,,Vicious cycle of round the clock good business strategy Google
Wtf. I switch off the gps…..cheeky feckers….
What’s so great about that service? With the Beat the Q app you can order your coffee on your way to the cafe and it will be there waiting for you on arrival
I’d like to see this for tourist spots. I groan when they visit during the summer and want to visit Book of Kells, Guinness, etc.
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