Sutton businesses sold vapes and alcohol to underage child during a Test Purchase Operation

Police officers joined trading standards officers for a test purchasing operation in Sutton.
By Shelley Marriott
Published 16th Nov 2022, 15:42 BST
Updated 16th Nov 2022, 16:20 BST
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The test purchasing operation saw trading standards and Nottinghamshire Police’s Sutton neighbourhood team work with a 16-year-old volunteer, who would enter a store to ask for the age restricted items.

A number of stores that the public had raised concerns over were targeted, including one vape store and seven off-licences, as well as four pubs which had failed a similar operation earlier in the year. and four public houses.

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Four of the seven off licences failed and sold a mixture of vapes and alcohol to the child, while all the pubs passed.

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A volunteer aged 16-years-old would go into the store accompanied by a police officer to ask for age restricted itemsA volunteer aged 16-years-old would go into the store accompanied by a police officer to ask for age restricted items
A volunteer aged 16-years-old would go into the store accompanied by a police officer to ask for age restricted items
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Insp Jon Hewitt, Nottinghamshire Police's Ashfield district commander, said: “It is pleasing to see those pubs which had failed earlier tests all passed.

“The evidence shows the harm to health these items present, with children particularly susceptible to misuse and addiction.”

On November 15, officers and Trading Standards found illegal vapes being sold at two locations.

The items were seized.