Test purchasers and other covert methods were used to catch illegal vape sellers at this year’s Reading Festival.
It is illegal to sell a nicotine vape to people under the age of 18.
During the operation, one of the stallholders was found to be selling vapes to underage teens.
Reading Borough Council’s trading standards team took immediate action by asking a market inspector at the festival to expel and ban them.
A warning letter was sent to the stallholder and their local authority was notified that two underage sales had been undertaken.
The operation was undertaken with Thames Valley Police, with details of it being given as an example of covert methods the council staff are allowed to use in a report to Reading Borough Council’s policy committee.
The report was presented at a meeting on Monday, October 30.
Michael Graham, the council’s assistant director for legal and democratic services, said: “The example given there shows that a good policy and procedures can actually help officers empowered to do that enforcement work which makes a difference.”
Methods of covert surveillance includes the use of trained test purchasers, who can either be adults or a young person under the age of 18. Reading Borough Council may also use undercover operatives.
The council is prohibited from carrying out intrusive surveillance, which would involve going into someone’s private property, such as their home and their vehicles.
Cllr Liz Terry, the lead councillor for corporate services, said covert methods are only used sparingly.
“While not used very often we need to make sure they’re used appropriately and correctly,” she said.
“[It involves] working with partners as well to make sure that we detect and prosecute fraud and any unlawful action that’s taken in the community.
“They are important tools, not to be used too often, but there is a certain amount of transparency here to make sure everybody knows what we do and why we’re doing it.”
At the meeting, the council’s policy committee unanimously approved its policy on the use of surveillance powers granted to it and controlled within the Regulatory Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and Investigatory Powers Act 2016.
