DUBAI // Despite a ban on selling e-cigarettes in the UAE, several retailers at the Chinese-themed Dragon Mart told The National that they could get the devices for paying customers.
Although they did not have the e-cigs in their possession, retailers said they could get them within five minutes.
Two years ago The National reported that retailers at the mall were flouting the ban by selling the devices in their shops, many of them unaware that a ban was even in place.
Now, it seems they are being more cunning in their sales approach but the e-cigarettes are still available for between Dh200 and Dh300.
One Dragon Mart retailer, who had pictures of different types of e-cigarettes on his phone, said that he sells at least a few of them a week but he keeps them at another location to avoid being fined.
A spokesman for Nakheel Retail, which operates Dragon Mart, said in 2014 that it did not condone the actions of retailers.
“Tenants are always required to be in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations,” the spokesman said.
“Any instances of non-compliance brought to the attention of the mall management is dealt with in accordance with the tenancy contract, including advising the appropriate officials of the law enforcing agencies.”
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae