In 2024 police reported they had seized almost 1050 tonnes of counterfeit items, shut down 216 counterfeit shops, made 238 arrests and seized over £500,000 cash
Welcome to the “Vape District” – where over 50 gaudy e-cigarette shops are packed into two neighbouring streets.
Cheetham Hill, in Greater Manchester, a stone’s throw from Strangeways prison, is home to 54 vape stores lining two roads. Harris Street is home to 30 consecutive shops, while next door Overbridge Road has 24. Over the past 10 years the area has been transformed into an ‘e-cigarette smokers’ paradise’. The inner-city area was previously notorious for its counterfeit clothing trade scene, which was stamped out by police.
Many locals have expressed their dismay at the vape shop explosion with many questioning the legitimacy of the businesses.cBut police have previously said the vast majority of such shops in the area are entirely legitimate, though some do engage with illicit activities.
READ MORE: Trump on verge of sending THIRD aircraft carrier to Middle EastREAD MORE: Measles outbreak: Check out number of cases where you live as infections surge
Cheetham Hill was known as the ‘counterfeit capital of Europe’ after a number of shops selling fake designer goods opened in the area. In 2022 Greater Manchester Police launched ‘Operation Vulcan’ to tackle organised crime in the neighbourhoods.
In 2024 police reported they had seized almost 1050 tonnes of counterfeit items, shut down 216 counterfeit shops, made 238 arrests and seized over £500,000 cash. They also found almost 400,000 illicit vapes.
Since then more and more vape shops have been popping up. Kamran Akhtar, 48, manager at The Vape Boyz on Harris Street, said: “People think there is illicit stuff going on around because of Cheetham Hills past here but there really isn’t. There are only vape shops selling vapes legally to corner shops, and retailers across the country, that’s it.
“The main reason for why there are so many is since Operation Vulcan, I’d say around 30% of counterfeit goods shops closed and vape shops popped up in their place.
“Then more and more came along replacing the counterfeit trade. We have been here since 2013 and there have never been so many. Most of the shops here are wholesale selling all across the country, it’s rare for anyone to sell single devices.
“Retailers from Scotland, Wales, London, Bristol, Yorkshire, all come to this area to buy vapes. I understand the negative reaction as it’s the type of person that vapes shops bring to the area, but if anything, it has become safer with all the counterfeit shop owners having moved on.”
It is estimated retailers can make a £1,500 markup on a box of vapes cigarettes which have been bought wholesale.
Manchester’s trading standards team have said they are aware of the explosion of vape shapes in the area but say they have no major concerns. Though the area has been subject to a number of Salford trading standards raids over the past five years, with thousands of vapes worth over £70,000 and counterfeit e-liquids being seized from shops on the street.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed said the build-up of vape shops on high streets was “ridiculous”, adding that people were “sick to death” of them.cHe said: “We are seeing a proliferation of a certain type of shop on too many high streets. That is not going to bring people to the high street, you need a diversity of shops.”
Approximately 5.5 million adults in Great Britain – about 10% of the adult population – currently vape as of 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics. In 2024, the number of vapers exceeded the number of smokers. Over half (55%) of vapers are ex-smokers, while 40% are dual users who both vape and smoke.
