Chinese vaping giant Elf Bar accused of skirting the law with powerful new device that has the power of 240 cigarettes and costs £12.99

Chinese vaping giant Elf Bar has been accused of circumventing UK law with a £12.99 device that has the power of 240 cigarettes.

The AF5000 is advertised as coming pre-filled with 2ml of liquid nicotine, the legal maximum for a disposable e-cigarette.

But it also has a 10ml clip-on ‘reservoir’ that brings the total to 12ml, allowing for 5,000 ‘highly satisfying puffs’ from a single device.

The EU has alerted member states about the “dangerous” device, which will likely lead to a Europe-wide ban.

There are also calls for it to be pulled from UK shelves amid fears it could fall into the hands of vulnerable young people.

Steve Brine, former chairman of the Commons health committee, said: ‘This cynical move will surprise no one. These companies will always find a way to protect their profits, so the law must be several steps ahead of them.’

Former Conservative MP Caroline Johnson, a pediatric consultant, said: “This is a clear sign that the industry will do anything to get around the law to get more people addicted to nicotine products.”

“These new devices are clearly not intended to help people quit smoking, but rather to be an alternative source of income-generating addiction.”

Last night, Elf Bar insisted the AF5000 complied with the law and said it was investigating the EU alert.

A spokesperson said: “We take product compliance seriously across all global markets and take the necessary steps to meet the relevant criteria.”

The MHRA, which is responsible for enforcing vaping regulations, was contacted for comment.

Last year, some supermarkets stopped selling Elf Bar products after a Mail investigation found they were considerably stronger than advertised.