Thousands of items seized from Canterbury vape shops

More than 10,000 suspected illegal items have been seized and four people arrested following a joint enforcement operation targeting organised crime in the High street.

Kent Police officers, alongside Trading Standards and the Fair Work Agency, carried out the operation on Friday 28 August 2026. Teams visited seven vape and phone repair shops in Canterbury city centre following intelligence suggesting they were involved in the sale of counterfeit and non-compliant goods.

Thousands of items were seized, including nicotine pouches, headphones, toys, vapes and mobile phones, after officers suspected they did not comply with UK safety and trading regulations.

Four men were arrested during the operation:

• A 30 year old Pakistani national
• A 36 year old Indian national
• A 38 old Pakistani national
• A 54 year old Indian national

They have all since been released on bail while enquiries continue.

This activity forms just part of Kent Police’s wider work in keeping the Canterbury district safe. Recently, other businesses such as the licensed taxi trade were also scrutinised, with officers and partner agencies working to hold drivers and business owners to the expected high standards.

Canterbury Chief Inspector Paul Stoner said:
‘The sale of counterfeit goods puts members of our community at risk, as these products often fail to meet safety standards and may not have undergone the necessary regulatory checks. By removing them from our high street we are not only keeping residents safe but are sending a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses acting outside of the law.
‘Our neighbourhood policing teams will continue to work closely with partner agencies to ensure Canterbury remains a great place to shop and socialise.’

Kent County Council's Head of Trading Standards, Steve Rock, said:
'Joint agency operations like this are an effective way to remove counterfeit and non-compliant products from our high streets. These products can appear to be a bargain but often do not work as expected and, in some instances, can be dangerous. If a product looks too good to be true, then it is probably not genuine and not worth the risk.
'Kent Trading Standards will continue to work with partner agencies to identify and remove counterfeit and dangerous items from our high streets.'