Seizures of illegal vapes by local authorities in the South East have skyrocketed, BBC analysis has revealed.
Figures show Trading Standards departments in Sussex confiscated around 21,200 illicit vape products in 2024 - up from none in 2020.
In Surrey, seizures rose from around 500 in 2020 to nearly 14,140 last year - a 28-fold increase.
A government spokesperson said they recognised the challenges councils face in tackling the issue and that they supported them with "intelligence and testing". They added over £69 billion in funding for local government had been confirmed this year.
John Dunne, director general at the UK Vaping Industry Association, called the council seizures "very good".
But he warned: "There is a need to hit the rogue traders hard in the pocket, so they don't repeatedly break the law."
He said there needs to be "much more funding" for Trading Standards so they can "up the ante against unscrupulous importers, distributors and resellers."
Illicit vapes "pose real health and safety risks to vapers", he added.
A BBC freedom of information (FOI) request to Brighton and Hove City Council shows 10,504 illicit vapes were seized in 2024 - up from 0 between 2020 and 2022.
FOI data from West Sussex County Council and East Sussex County Council reveals no vapes were taken between 2020 and 2021.
However, this figure increased to 5,022 and 5,677 respectively in 2024.
All three councils said rising illegal vape seizures reflected their commitment to tackling the issue and keeping people, especially children, safe and healthy.
They added rogue traders were actively being targeted.
Surrey County Council data shows the largest single seizure of illicit vapes was just under 1,250 in Guildford last year.
The surge in seizures comes before a government ban on single-use vapes, which came into effect in June.
The ban is part of a wider crackdown on illegal vaping products, some of which contain drugs or harmful chemicals.
Trading Standards officers are now authorised to confiscate any disposable vapes they find.
Mr Dunne warned the issue of illegal vapes was "only going to get worse as more adults turn to the black market as a result of the ban on simple to use disposables."
He said illicit products "tarnish the reputation of the legitimate vape industry" and add to a perception that vaping carries more risk than smoking.