Council prosecutes business owner and employee for illegal vape sales

A Northwich business owner and his employee have been fined for selling a vape to child following successful prosecutions by Cheshire West and Chester Council's trading standards and legal services teams.

The hearing took place at Chester Magistrates Court and followed a test purchasing operation carried out by council officers on 29 April 2025 during which the vape was sold to a young volunteer under the age of 18. 

Akilathansan Palan, the business owner (aged 42) of Campbell Close in Northwich, was handed a £164 fine and ordered to pay costs of £75 and a victim surcharge of £66, within one month.

Sugunarajan Mohanacajan (aged 32), the employee who sold vape, of London Road in Davenham received a £74 fine and was ordered to pay costs of £75 and a victim surcharge of £30 within two months. 

Cllr Stuart Bingham, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhood Pride said:

“Our priority is to keep our borough safe and ensure our communities can continue to flourish, and this outcome is further evidence of the strong and tireless work carried out by our trading standards and legal teams to protect residents.

“These prosecutions send a clear message that we will not hesitate to act against retailers who flout the law by selling vapes and other age‑restricted products to under‑18s.

“Protecting young people and upholding the law is a responsibility we take extremely seriously, and we remain fully committed to stopping the illegal sale of these products in our borough.”

If you suspect a business is selling age-restricted products such as tobacco, vapes or alcohol to under-18s or products such as fireworks to unders-16s, please report it:

Reporting to Trading Standards - Citizens Advice