0:00:03 > 0:00:07Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Welcome to Fake Britain!
0:00:26 > 0:00:29It's just an ordinary house. It could be anywhere in the country,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32but this is a house that's filled with fakes
0:00:32 > 0:00:37and you may not know it, but your home could be full of them, too.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40During the series, we'll be investigating the criminals trying
0:00:40 > 0:00:44to get their hands on your cash by using forgeries, frauds and fakery.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48And I'll be showing you how you can avoid being taken for a ride.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55Today on Fake Britain, we expose the premium Suffolk jam company
0:00:55 > 0:00:59that charged a fortune for its genuinely English strawberry jam,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01when it was actually using frozen fruit from China.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05People thought they were buying a local product, what I think
0:01:05 > 0:01:10they don't expect is fruit described as Suffolk is actually from china.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13We join medical watchdog the MHRA
0:01:13 > 0:01:16as they hunt for counterfeit health products.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21And, as vinyl sales soar,
0:01:21 > 0:01:25we reveal the explosion of fake records hitting our high streets.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29They cost around about 80p to a pound to make the recording,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31but they can sell it for, say, up to £1,000.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Strawberry jam on a scone in the garden -
0:01:40 > 0:01:43it's the taste of the English summer.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46But that taste was a bit difficult to detect in some jam
0:01:46 > 0:01:49found on Suffolk Trading Standards' patch.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Time to lift the lid on an outrageously
0:01:52 > 0:01:55sticky piece of food fakery.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Previously on Fake Britain, we showed how some fish and chip shops
0:01:58 > 0:02:02in the Midlands had sold pangasius rather than cod,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and how when this man was served the fish in a restaurant
0:02:05 > 0:02:07he had a serious allergic reaction.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10I just couldn't breathe and my face began to itch.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Without instant medical assistance, I probably would have died.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19In Leicester, a survey of 20 lamb kebabs from different shops
0:02:19 > 0:02:22revealed none of them had just lamb in them -
0:02:22 > 0:02:24four had no lamb whatsoever -
0:02:24 > 0:02:28and horse meat was found at many outlets.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Millions of beef burgers on sale at several supermarkets in the UK
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and Ireland are being pulled off the shelves.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Food fraud, it seems, is all around us.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Premium food, whether it's organic, locally sourced,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43or products with top grade ingredients, is big business.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47But it's another opportunity for fraudsters to miss-sell
0:02:47 > 0:02:50products by giving them fake quality claims.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Suffolk Trading Standards officer Clare Davies
0:02:53 > 0:02:56makes routine inspections of food premises
0:02:56 > 0:02:59to ensure a level playing field among companies.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02We visit manufacturers to find out whether claims they
0:03:02 > 0:03:05put on their packaging are accurate, that the food is fresh,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08that it's organic, or it might be origin claims
0:03:08 > 0:03:10that the food is local.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13On one visit to a farm shop, Clare came across some very
0:03:13 > 0:03:17expensive jams made by a company called Stonham Hedgerow.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19She decided to investigate
0:03:19 > 0:03:23whether claims made by the manufacturers were actually true.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28This is the leaflet we found displayed next to the jams on sale.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30It makes various claims,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32so, for example, we have "Made by hand in Suffolk
0:03:32 > 0:03:34"from whole and fresh fruit."
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Inside, a specific claim about the origin of the product.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Here it says, "We use a range of East Anglian soft fruits
0:03:41 > 0:03:43"in all the jams so, unusually,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46"our strawberry jam is genuinely English."
0:03:47 > 0:03:49But, as Clare was about to find out,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51that couldn't have been further from the truth.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54When she visited the company they admitted they were using SOME
0:03:54 > 0:04:00frozen fruit, but a whole lot more fakery was about to emerge.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04The company indicated they used another supplier in Suffolk.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Our food officers visit all companies in Suffolk
0:04:06 > 0:04:08so we are aware of this particular supplier
0:04:08 > 0:04:12and knew they were a supplier of frozen and imported fruit.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16So that was a trigger for looking into this a little bit more.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Clare made test purchases.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23Liaising with the supplier and using the batch number on the bottom of
0:04:23 > 0:04:27the jars, she was able to trace the precise origin of each pot of jam.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34She also went right back through Stonham's fruit supply history to 2008.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36She couldn't believe what she discovered.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39In that period, the company hadn't actually sourced
0:04:39 > 0:04:41ANY fruit from Suffolk.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43So, we have a certificate of origin which shows that
0:04:43 > 0:04:46the strawberries in the specific batch of jam that we were
0:04:46 > 0:04:50looking at originates from the People's Republic Of China,
0:04:50 > 0:04:55and we have a shipment 2,400 cartons of frozen strawberries
0:04:55 > 0:04:57to the supplier and then part of that batch
0:04:57 > 0:04:59was then supplied to Stonham Hedgerow.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02And we have the stamp there from the Chinese authorities.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Stonham Hedgerow outrageously claimed it was selling
0:05:07 > 0:05:10"genuinely English" strawberry jam.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13In reality, it was buying in frozen fruit from
0:05:13 > 0:05:15half way around the world - China.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19The company was selling fake jam. Clare's investigations showed that
0:05:19 > 0:05:23since 2008 the company had progressively sourced its fruit
0:05:23 > 0:05:26from further and further away from Suffolk.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31Fruit was sourced from Essex, then further afield to Norfolk,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35then further afield to Yorkshire, and then to Europe.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38So, fruit was sourced form Poland,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and more recently, fruit was sourced from china.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45And, mathematically, it made good sense.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Had the company used genuine, fresh local fruit,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52it would have cost over £50 for a 20 kilo batch.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55In reality, they were getting their fruit for a lot less.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00What we are looking at here is a table which shows us
0:06:00 > 0:06:04fruit prices and the corresponding origin of that fruit.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Now, what we can see through the timeline is the fruit
0:06:08 > 0:06:11got cheaper as it was sourced from further afield.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16Using frozen strawberries from Essex brought the cost down to £40.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18From Norfolk, to £35.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22The company went into Yorkshire.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26and the frozen strawberries there came in at £30.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30Finally, September 2010 to March 2011, we have frozen strawberries
0:06:30 > 0:06:34coming in from China and the price was £1.27 a kilo,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38so the cost of fruit has gone down to £25.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42The company had halved their fruit costs by buying cheap,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44frozen fruit from china.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47But they were still charging consumers a small fortune
0:06:47 > 0:06:49for their fake premium jams.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56£3.85 is one of the most expensive jams we found on the market.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58We went into a supermarket
0:06:58 > 0:07:02and picked up a jar of strawberry jam for, I think, about 69p.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05So, if you compare that jar of jam with this jar of jam,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08in reality, you're probably not getting an awful lot more.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Fake origin claims were found with six varieties of the company's jam.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Their blackcurrant and raspberry jam used fruit from Poland.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Jam makers Stonham Hedgerow were in a sticky situation.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25The company pleaded guilty to 13 charges of falsely claiming
0:07:25 > 0:07:28its jams contained locally sourced produce.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31They were fined almost £13,000 including costs,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and have since removed the description 'Suffolk'
0:07:34 > 0:07:36from their ingredients list.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Clare was delighted another food fraud had been brought to light.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Suffolk is known as a foodie destination,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45there's lots of local food produced here,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48and people think they're buying a local product,
0:07:48 > 0:07:53they think they're supporting local farmers and reducing food miles.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57What I think they don't expect is that fruit described as Suffolk
0:07:57 > 0:07:59is actually from China.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08We've all heard the stories of identity theft,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10people whose email accounts have been hacked
0:08:10 > 0:08:14or whose bank accounts have been fraudulently accessed.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17It may even have happened to you or someone you know.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21But imagine if that was taking place on an industrial scale.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23These are just a few of the thousands
0:08:23 > 0:08:27of personal details bought and sold over the internet
0:08:27 > 0:08:32by a criminal gang - the biggest fake identity ring in the world.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35For one unwitting target
0:08:35 > 0:08:38that meant a knock on his door from the police, who thought
0:08:38 > 0:08:42he was involved in a multi-million pound international fraud.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49In 2006, this man, an NHS doctor called Abid Haider,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52was arrested on suspicion of terrorism.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55He was later acquitted, but during the investigation
0:08:55 > 0:09:00police discovered that, incredibly, Haider had four other fake identities.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03And he was using these to commit mortgage fraud.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06The case was passed to Detective Inspector Tim Dowdeswell,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09from the Met Police's Anti-Fraud Squad.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12The resulting investigation would lead his team to uncover
0:09:12 > 0:09:16the largest known fake identity ring in the world.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18What we have here laid out on the table is
0:09:18 > 0:09:22a selection of documents, four different identities.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26The first set is in the name of Dipesh Patel.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29We've got a bank statement, Revenue and Customs documents,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33utility bills, six months worth of payslips.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35So, moving round the table, another identity
0:09:35 > 0:09:37in the name of Christopher Johnson.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Three documents here - a photograph, a specimen signature,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44and a driving licence in the name of Adam Khan.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Haider had bought all the fake documents from one website,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Confidential Access.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It was selling every kind of fake document imaginable.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59Photocard driving licences, the counterfoil for that,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03utility bills, bank statements, payslips.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08You could even get exam certificates if you provided the details.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13The website was the gateway to a fake document factory.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17But Confidential Access was also selling sophisticated
0:10:17 > 0:10:21fake identity packages, so criminals could become someone else
0:10:21 > 0:10:23and commit fraud in their name.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27An innocent victim with a good credit profile was unknowingly
0:10:27 > 0:10:31re-registered via the electoral roll at a vacant address.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Customers like Haider were then sent bundles of fake documents
0:10:34 > 0:10:37with the victim's name and new address.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Using this new fake identity, the fraudster could apply
0:10:40 > 0:10:44for credit cards, mortgages or loans they never intended to re-pay.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Crimes were being committed in the name of the innocent victim,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50whose credit profile was then wrecked.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53The top package was the Platinum Profile,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55retailing at £5,500.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58But the full extent of the criminal operation
0:10:58 > 0:11:00was only just about to be revealed.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05When we first started looking at the case, we could see
0:11:05 > 0:11:07on the website that there were areas that general public
0:11:07 > 0:11:11couldn't get access to. These were called inner forums.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15When police computer experts hacked into these online chatrooms,
0:11:15 > 0:11:20the full scale of Confidential Access's online empire was laid bare.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24These forums had up to 10,000 members all paying a membership fee
0:11:24 > 0:11:27to be on there, but it was almost like a community.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29The only difference from a genuine one
0:11:29 > 0:11:32is the fact that these were talking about fraud.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36The website was a safe haven for thousands of fakers
0:11:36 > 0:11:40to discuss fraud and trade tips on fakery.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43The people running the website did seem to think
0:11:43 > 0:11:46they were actually providing a service.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50They did see themselves as some sort of freedom fighters
0:11:50 > 0:11:53to fight against the establishment, in effect.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57In reality, the people behind Confidential Access
0:11:57 > 0:11:59were running a fraud school, coaching members
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and grooming them into fully fledged fakers.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Tim realised this growing online army of fraudsters
0:12:05 > 0:12:07had to be stopped.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10It was vital we took this down at an early stage,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13that we stopped the sale of these documents.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Financial investigations and DNA analysis of test purchases
0:12:16 > 0:12:19revealed two masterminds behind the site.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Foremost was this man - Jason Place.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28He was operating out of Alicante in Spain.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31And the counterfeit documents were generated there
0:12:31 > 0:12:35but manufactured by associates in the UK.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Tim organised co-ordinated raids on all their addresses.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41We started the arrest phase of the UK operatives
0:12:41 > 0:12:44by doing early morning raids to arrest them
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and seize their computers, the materials they were using
0:12:48 > 0:12:51to print the documents and any other evidence
0:12:51 > 0:12:53that would link them to Confidential Access.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Masses of equipment involved
0:12:55 > 0:12:58in the manufacture of the fake documents was seized.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02We've got different weights of paper that are partly printed.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05It was a multi-layering printing process.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Things like driving licences would need specialist cutting equipment.
0:13:10 > 0:13:16Ultraviolet inks were found together with UV lamps and DVLA logos.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19But, despite the police raid on the UK arm of the operation,
0:13:19 > 0:13:24master-faker Jason Place remained in Spain untouched.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Confidential Access continued to churn out counterfeit documents
0:13:27 > 0:13:32and clone real people's identities on an industrial scale.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Coming up, we reveal how the Met brought Place to justice,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and we meet the innocent accountant implicated in this multi-million
0:13:41 > 0:13:46pound fraud, with his name plastered over hundreds of fake documents.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49It was a major shock. I've never had anything like this
0:13:49 > 0:13:51happen to me in my life before,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54and I was absolutely dumbfounded by the whole thing.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Earlier, we saw Suffolk Trading Standards officer Clare Davies
0:14:04 > 0:14:08investigating a company selling premium fresh local jam
0:14:08 > 0:14:11that was really made from frozen Chinese strawberries.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13They were fined nearly £13,000.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Clare's taken it upon herself to stamp out food fakery.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Consumers have the right to rely on honest food labelling.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25They want to know that what they read on the ingredients list
0:14:25 > 0:14:27is what they get in their products.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Today, Clare's in court to take on a local pesto company
0:14:30 > 0:14:32whose labelling is suspect.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34We're prosecuting Stark Naked Foods.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38We brought this case to prosecution because during a routine inspection
0:14:38 > 0:14:41we found some discrepancies with the labelling
0:14:41 > 0:14:45in comparison to what the company were actually manufacturing.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Clare heads into the court.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Now, pesto, if you don't know, is a green, basil-based sauce
0:14:51 > 0:14:53that originated in Northern Italy.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Fake Britain caught up with Italian chef and pesto expert
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Giorgio Locatelli to understand what should go into the perfect pesto.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Sit down and prepare to learn!
0:15:04 > 0:15:07First, we use the salt, garlic.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Then I get the pine nuts.
0:15:13 > 0:15:14OK.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Next, it's the key ingredient - that herb basil.
0:15:19 > 0:15:25As you are doing this, you should hear the leaf screaming at you.
0:15:25 > 0:15:26Aaargh!
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Next, a bit of cheese.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Traditionally, this should be one of two Italian cheeses,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano. Which will it be today?
0:15:35 > 0:15:39We're using Parmigiano Reggiano. It makes no sense to use another cheese
0:15:39 > 0:15:41when Parmesan is made in a wheel
0:15:41 > 0:15:45and has been made to roll all over the world.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48- HE LAUGHS - Finally, the very finest olive oil.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Olive oil is so important.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53To me, to make the perfect pesto, you must use the olive oil that
0:15:53 > 0:15:56comes from the Ligurian side. It's much lighter and sweeter.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58This is my pesto.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Wow, that's perfect. It has to be a punch in the mouth!
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Quality, fresh ingredients are fundamental to a fine pesto.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12Italian cuisine doesn't stand on the great capability
0:16:12 > 0:16:15and creativity of the chef, it stands on the quality
0:16:15 > 0:16:19of the ingredients that we use to produce the recipe.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21The freshness of the ingredients is VERY, very important.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26So, there you have it - that's what SHOULD be in pesto.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30But just what have the fakers been putting in theirs?
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Before the court case, we caught up with Clare Davies to find out
0:16:33 > 0:16:37precisely what the pesky pesto company had been doing.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Stark Naked Foods sold their own-brand pesto
0:16:40 > 0:16:42and also made the sauce for ASDA.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Both were sold as premium pesto,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47proudly boasting the finest ingredients
0:16:47 > 0:16:49and selling for high prices.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51It was a shame, then, that what was on the label
0:16:51 > 0:16:53WASN'T what was in the products.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56The company claimed on their packaging
0:16:56 > 0:17:00to use Grana Padano cheese. Clare discovered this wasn't true.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03This is the cheese used in the product.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07What have here is a Gran Veneziano cheese, which is just a hard
0:17:07 > 0:17:10grating cheese and that's produced in Latvia.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12So this product will be much cheaper.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16The company had also been telling fibs
0:17:16 > 0:17:18about the kind of oil they used.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21According to Giorgio, a good pesto should have
0:17:21 > 0:17:23a good quality olive oil.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25You read extra virgin olive oil, 32%.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29But what's actually in the product is sunflower oil,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31as well as extra virgin olive oil.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35And sunflower oil is half the price of extra virgin olive oil.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Now, if the company is able to put in cheaper ingredients,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40that reduces their production costs.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44By declaring premium ingredients in your product
0:17:44 > 0:17:46and making it sound very attractive,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49that can give the company an unfair competitive advantage.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53But the fakery doesn't stop there.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56The company described their pesto as fresh -
0:17:56 > 0:17:59something Giorgio told us was essential.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02In fact, Clare's food inspection revealed the product
0:18:02 > 0:18:04was frozen for up to six months.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07In addition, their locally sourced basil
0:18:07 > 0:18:09came from a little bit further away.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11There's a phrase on the packaging
0:18:11 > 0:18:15that says, "We really like local farmers, they're friendly".
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Now, although that doesn't implicitly state the origin
0:18:18 > 0:18:22of the products, the presumption is that the grown element
0:18:22 > 0:18:26of the product, the basil, is from local farmers.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30But, in fact, the basil in this product was from Israel.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33And, with the tarragon pesto, again you have the same phrase,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35"We like local farmers, they're friendly,"
0:18:35 > 0:18:37but the tarragon was from Columbia.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Back at the court, the food fakers haven't turned up!
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Clare's furious.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47The court said in 21 years they'd never known the officer
0:18:47 > 0:18:51of the company or the defendants not turn up without good reason.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53The court case is re-scheduled.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Six weeks later, Clare's back
0:18:55 > 0:18:57and ready to do battle with the flaky fakers.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00She's hoping for a conviction and a serious sentence.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04These are offences under the Food Safety Act,
0:19:04 > 0:19:09and the maximum penalty that carries is a fine of £20,000,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11or up to two years in prison.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16This time, company directors Marcus and Victoria Starke do turn up.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Inside the court room they admit to 14 false claims charges,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23although they blame the blunders on a more junior manager.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26So, we've just come out of court
0:19:26 > 0:19:30and Stark Naked Foods Ltd pleaded guilty to a total
0:19:30 > 0:19:34of 14 different offences and the total fine
0:19:34 > 0:19:39was just over £28,000. That included £5,000 costs.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Hey, pesto! That's a massive fine for the food fakers.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47It's also a clear message to others thinking of committing food fraud.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50This was a good result for us today
0:19:50 > 0:19:54and I think it sends out the message that Trading Standards
0:19:54 > 0:19:57will look for food fraud, will look for instances
0:19:57 > 0:20:00of misdescription and, if companies ignore advice
0:20:00 > 0:20:02and continue to mislabel products,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06there could be hefty fines imposed on them by the courts.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Stark Naked Foods have since gone into liquidation.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12For Giorgio Locatelli, though, there's one simple way
0:20:12 > 0:20:16pesto lovers can avoid being victims of food fraud - make your own!
0:20:16 > 0:20:18That's easy for him, he's a chef!
0:20:18 > 0:20:22I don't understand why people are driven to buy pesto in the shops!
0:20:22 > 0:20:25It's incredible. The recipe is a bit of herbs, a bit of nuts,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28a bit of salt, and a bit of cheese - this is what it's all about.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31So why not do it at home? It's SO beautiful!
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Earlier we saw a website helping people
0:20:40 > 0:20:43produce fake documents on an industrial scale
0:20:43 > 0:20:46and cloning the identities of innocent Britons.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50The UK arm of the operation was raided, but the mastermind
0:20:50 > 0:20:53behind the website continued to run it from Spain.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58DI Tim Dowdeswell realised he had to take it down fast.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00We took steps to have the server seized,
0:21:00 > 0:21:05and that was done in Hong Kong with the cooperation of the Hong Kong Police
0:21:05 > 0:21:08and that caused them serious problems.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10But not for long!
0:21:10 > 0:21:13The website soon reappeared, this time run from Holland.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Tim liaised with police there and the new servers were also seized.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Richard Braysher is an accountant based in North London.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26As police sifted through documents recovered from the servers,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28his name appeared again and again.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33I did have a phone call from the police saying they had documents
0:21:33 > 0:21:39that I had purported to have signed and my involvement in a rather
0:21:39 > 0:21:43serious identity fraud, and they wanted to come and see me.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45So, naturally, my heart started pumping
0:21:45 > 0:21:49and I thought "Oh, my God, what's this all about?!"
0:21:49 > 0:21:51The police turned up to question Richard.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55He was implicated in a multi-million pound fraud.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58I was really scared, you know, and worried,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and then they did turn up a couple of days later
0:22:01 > 0:22:03with all this documentation.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07To my surprise and horror, there were items in this, obviously,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10none of it I recognised at all. I hadn't signed any of the forms
0:22:10 > 0:22:13that were purported to have been signed by me.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Unbeknown to Richard, the fakers had picked his name
0:22:16 > 0:22:20and used it to verify huge numbers of fake documents.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22Having a real accountant's name added to them
0:22:22 > 0:22:25made them appear bona fide.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Having seen only a small sample when he was questioned by police,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31we took along multiple fake documents featuring
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Richard's forged signature for him to examine.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37This is absolutely incredible. It really is.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41I'm just totally shocked that someone can
0:22:41 > 0:22:43use my name in this context.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46This purports to be a letter written by me
0:22:46 > 0:22:50or a certificate signed by me. Obviously I didn't do this.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53I just don't believe it, I've been given another qualification
0:22:53 > 0:22:55that I don't have - LLB.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58I'm supposed to be a member of a firm called Norton Rose Solicitors.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Norton Rose are real, but just like Richard
0:23:00 > 0:23:03they knew nothing about it and are completely innocent.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Again, my signature is totally forged.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09That's nothing like my signature.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Now I've suddenly become a member of UK Legal Services.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Richard is stunned by the many fake documents bearing his name.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21I'm just totally shocked. They're all purported to have been
0:23:21 > 0:23:25signed by me, the signatures have been forged, I'm supposed to be
0:23:25 > 0:23:29a member of firms I've never heard of, the whole thing is a fake.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31But, back at Scotland Yard,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Tim Dowdeswell and his team had made a breakthrough.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Information on the servers also provided them
0:23:37 > 0:23:41with an address in Spain where Jason Place was hiding out.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Raids took place on the luxury villa
0:23:44 > 0:23:47and masses more equipment was discovered.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Analysis of Place's personal computer revealed
0:23:50 > 0:23:53extraordinary plans for a new interactive online community
0:23:53 > 0:23:57for fakers - an island called Caxopia.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00But Jason Place himself had already fled.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05We located Jason Place in Gibraltar in co-operation with
0:24:05 > 0:24:09the Gibraltan authorities and the Spanish authorities,
0:24:09 > 0:24:14and, after a fairly lengthy process, he was extradited back to the UK.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17When Police seized Place's passport, bizarrely,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19even that was countersigned with the fake signature
0:24:19 > 0:24:23of innocent accountant Richard Braysher.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Tim Dowdeswell was delighted to finally catch the man
0:24:26 > 0:24:30who'd created the world's biggest known fraud factory.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34To finally get Jason Place back into United Kingdom
0:24:34 > 0:24:38charged and facing a court was very satisfying.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42At Southwark Crown Court, Place was sentenced
0:24:42 > 0:24:45to almost seven years in prison for conspiracy to defraud.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48His website had made profits of £11 million.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Various other fraudsters who helped run Confidential Access
0:24:52 > 0:24:54were also jailed.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57However, the operation to hunt down the criminals who used
0:24:57 > 0:24:59the website continues.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Solicitor Derek Speed was handed five years for using fake wage slips
0:25:03 > 0:25:06to cover up a massive theft from his company.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10This is certainly largest and most professional operation
0:25:10 > 0:25:14selling you documents online, and I've never seen anything like this.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17There are over 12,500 documents that have been produced
0:25:17 > 0:25:20by Confidential Access and somewhere in the region
0:25:20 > 0:25:23of 3,000 customers who've actually purchased documents,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26so that is a huge number of people
0:25:26 > 0:25:28that we suspect will have committed fraud.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31So, if you were a Confidential Access customer,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33you might expect a knock on your door.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43We buy millions of healthcare products every day,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45from painkillers to contraceptives,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49from pharmacies, corner shops and supermarkets
0:25:49 > 0:25:50right across the country.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54And we take it for granted they are what they say they are
0:25:54 > 0:25:58and they're safe, but some of those items are targets for the fakers
0:25:58 > 0:26:00and they don't care so much about your health
0:26:00 > 0:26:03as they do about making a bit of cash.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05We're following the people whose job it is to make sure
0:26:05 > 0:26:09that when you buy a health product you're getting the real deal.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Nearly five million containers pass through
0:26:11 > 0:26:15the Port of Felixstowe every year, and you can't check them all.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19So, no wonder some criminals see it as the perfect way into the UK
0:26:19 > 0:26:21for products that could harm your health
0:26:21 > 0:26:23when they're supposed to protect it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27A container's been seized loaded with fake contraceptives.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30If they got onto the market, unwanted pregnancies
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and the spread of disease could be the result.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36So, Danny Lee Frost, the head of enforcement for
0:26:36 > 0:26:39medical watchdog the MHRA, is going to tackle the man
0:26:39 > 0:26:42he believes the container was destined for.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Danny arrives at the property and waits for the police
0:26:45 > 0:26:47and the rest of his team to get there.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52The plan is for officers to arrive with police back-up
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and that is entirely to prevent a breach of the peace.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01It's a tense few moments waiting yards from the suspect's door,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05but as the clock hits 6:00, the police and Danny's team arrive
0:27:05 > 0:27:07and it's time to take action.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09- Right, here we go.- Go, go, go.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Officers approach the property and knock on the man's door.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16From the MHRA, Department of Health. We've got a warrant here
0:27:16 > 0:27:19under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 to look for
0:27:19 > 0:27:23evidence regarding sale, supply or control
0:27:23 > 0:27:26of counterfeit goods under the Trademark Act.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30The team enters the house.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32The man's detained in the living room
0:27:32 > 0:27:35as they work their way through the property.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37They're joined today by a financial investigator
0:27:37 > 0:27:40looking for receipts and other evidence that the suspect
0:27:40 > 0:27:43may have been purchasing counterfeit goods.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45No corner of the address is left unturned,
0:27:45 > 0:27:49including the garden shed and the car on the driveway.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Officers from the agency have entered the premises
0:27:52 > 0:27:55along with couple of police officers.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58We're now beginning the inspection.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03We'll be looking for evidence of importation, any paperwork.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05And the team finds what it's looking for -
0:28:05 > 0:28:08documents linking the man to the Felixstowe container
0:28:08 > 0:28:12filled with counterfeit contraceptives and other fake goods.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15The man also has a number of storage units locally.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17The team suspect these could be
0:28:17 > 0:28:20where he's storing the fake products.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23To get into the units, the team needs the man's keys.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25If you don't supply us with the keys now,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28- we will smash the door in, OK? - Yeah.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30You understand that then. All right.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Now there's an offer you can't refuse!
0:28:32 > 0:28:35He gives up his keys and is led away to a waiting police car.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37He'll be questioned later in the day.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Meanwhile, Danny races over to the storage units.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Now we're off to the main lock-up.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46We've secured keys for that.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49We've got officers guarding that premises.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Once we get there we're going to unlock,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54send the dogs in and see what turns up.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Today is the first time the MHRA will be using sniffer dogs
0:28:58 > 0:29:01to hunt down counterfeit goods.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04They've been specially trained to detect fake contraceptives
0:29:04 > 0:29:08and the precise kind of cardboard they're packaged in.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11When police and Trading Standards first turned up to secure the units,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14there was a nasty surprise waiting for them.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16SQUEAKING
0:29:17 > 0:29:21When the team enter, they're stunned by the size of the building.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27It would be physically impossible
0:29:27 > 0:29:30to search every single box in this building,
0:29:30 > 0:29:36so our best bet is to deploy the dogs and see what they come up with.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40The dogs are prepared. First up, meet Bossy.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44His handlers set him off upstairs into a tightly-packed attic.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Then he's brought downstairs to the next level.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55There are tens of thousands of items here,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57cheap toys and gifts from China.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Fake health products could be just about anywhere!
0:30:01 > 0:30:03We've deployed the search dog,
0:30:03 > 0:30:07we're now going through each area, bit by bit. No luck so far.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09While the search continues upstairs,
0:30:09 > 0:30:13officers find what at first glance appears to be a dangerous weapon.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15But it's not - it's simply a pellet gun.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Cheap and nasty, like everything else in here.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21There are counterfeit items here,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24but no fake health products like those found in the container.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Danny and the team wait to enter the next suspect unit.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31You wouldn't get through one of these security shutters
0:30:31 > 0:30:33with anything less than a tank.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36We haven't got one of them, so we'll wait for the locksmith.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40Fortunately, a man with keys appears and the search begins anew.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43This time it's spaniel Frankie
0:30:43 > 0:30:46charged with nosing out nefarious merchandise.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51No item is left unsniffed.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56This time the team find a number of cheap Chinese fake toys,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58but again, no fake contraceptives.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Then the team is tipped off about a small lock-up
0:31:05 > 0:31:09around the corner which is believed to be linked to the suspect.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13Alfie is itching to get in there and, as the team enters,
0:31:13 > 0:31:16they appear to have finally found what they've been looking for.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18He's got some on the shelf here.
0:31:18 > 0:31:23Danny's team opens up the boxes and examines the health products.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26Although these aren't fake, they are NOT intended for the UK market
0:31:26 > 0:31:28and shouldn't be sold here.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Evidence from the arrested man's house is brought back
0:31:31 > 0:31:33to MHRA headquarters in Central London.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37The team believes they have enough evidence to charge the suspect.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Danny examines samples from the giant haul
0:31:39 > 0:31:43of counterfeit contraceptives found in the original container.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46What we're looking at here is some of the condoms
0:31:46 > 0:31:52that were seized by the UK Border Agency at Felixstowe.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55This was part of a 25,000 pack consignment.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58The container was marked as glassware to smuggle
0:31:58 > 0:32:00the fakes past Customs.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Once they make it into the shops, though, the counterfeit packaging
0:32:03 > 0:32:06is of such high quality it could fool anyone.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Even trained investigators within the MHRA would not know
0:32:09 > 0:32:13from a visual inspection that that pack there was counterfeit.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18As well as a fake safety marking and batch number, the cardboard,
0:32:18 > 0:32:22colours, layout and cellophane is an exact copy of the genuine article.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26We estimate between 80-90% of the value of the work
0:32:26 > 0:32:29gone into this is on the packaging itself.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34But very little money's gone into the product inside.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Despite a fake safety leaflet,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39the contraceptives themselves are incredibly poor quality.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44Nearly 100% of those tested split. They're also dangerous.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47In some cases that we've seen,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51the lubricant that's been used is not a lubricant at all,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54it's actually an industrial hand cleanser
0:32:54 > 0:32:58of the type you're more likely to see a garage mechanic
0:32:58 > 0:33:01cleaning his hands with after he's taken a gearbox out.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03It's no laughing matter.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07Contraceptives are essential for family planning for millions of people.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11Stamping out fakes is a top priority for the agency.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13Condoms are intended to prevent unwanted pregnancies
0:33:13 > 0:33:16and halt the spread of sexually transmitted diseases,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19so anything that is counterfeit and doesn't actually do that
0:33:19 > 0:33:23is a risk to the public health.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26Fortunately, there are still two ways
0:33:26 > 0:33:29you can spot that these condoms are fake.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32The expiry date on the box should match up with the one on the packet,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34but it doesn't.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Another small clue
0:33:37 > 0:33:41is that, when reading the foil on the colour side,
0:33:41 > 0:33:45obviously all the Durex logos are all lined up.
0:33:45 > 0:33:50If you then turn it round to read the lot number, it's upside down.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00There's big money in rare records. Have a look at this -
0:34:00 > 0:34:05it's a box-set of the singles from U2's album The Joshua Tree
0:34:05 > 0:34:09and it's worth £2,500, if it was for sale, which it's not.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12You'd have collectors queuing round the block.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16This, however, is a picture disc of the same album
0:34:16 > 0:34:19and it would be worth hundreds, if it wasn't a fake,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21like all of these.
0:34:21 > 0:34:27As the market for vinyl grows, so does a trade in counterfeit discs.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35Record sales grew for the fifth consecutive year in 2012.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Vinyl is experiencing a hell of a comeback,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40and record fairs like this have sprung up to accommodate
0:34:40 > 0:34:43enthusiastic collectors young and old.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47But unscrupulous fakers are taking advantage of our thirst
0:34:47 > 0:34:49for rare and limited edition records.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54# Hey, teacher! Leave them kids alone! #
0:34:54 > 0:34:58It's largely classic rock bands that are having their records faked,
0:34:58 > 0:34:59like Pink Floyd.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02# All in all, it's just another brick in the wall. #
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Promotional copies of their earliest singles
0:35:05 > 0:35:07can go for over £6,000.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11# With or without you... #
0:35:11 > 0:35:14A genuine promo copy of U2's Achtung Baby
0:35:14 > 0:35:17or The Joshua Tree can also go for thousands.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21# You make a grown man cry-y-y... #
0:35:21 > 0:35:24And a test pressing of the Rolling Stones' first album
0:35:24 > 0:35:26can sell for a fortune.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30# I take you places that you never, ever seen.... #
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Fake Britain has come to Camden in North London.
0:35:34 > 0:35:39It's famous for curios, artefacts, and the downright bizarre.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41But it's also a hotbed of vinyl fakery.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44We're following this industry expert as he goes undercover
0:35:44 > 0:35:47to track down some bogus records.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52He believes music fans are being miss-sold fakes
0:35:52 > 0:35:56thinking that they're rare items worth lots of money.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00With fake CDs and DVDs the packaging is minimal,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03so people understand they're buying something
0:36:03 > 0:36:05that's generally an inferior product.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10With fake vinyl records, they're made to look exotic and coloured
0:36:10 > 0:36:15vinyl and picture discs to attract enthusiasts and sell for more money.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Our expert sets off in pursuit of the fakes.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24He's received a tip-off that a number of specific stalls
0:36:24 > 0:36:28on the market are selling counterfeit records.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30He doesn't miss a beat,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33and is soon back with a bag full of counterfeits.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37Today I've had rich pickings. I'll start with the first item,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40which is a fake of the very first ever Pink Floyd single.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Now, an original copy of this would be worth somewhere
0:36:43 > 0:36:47in the region on the collectors' market of £3,000 to £6,000,
0:36:47 > 0:36:49depending on condition.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Our expert has spotted one clear sign the disc is not genuine.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56These were only every pressed on black vinyl.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59They were never pressed on any other colour.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01This one is pressed on yellow.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04But the fakers have gone to remarkable lengths to make
0:37:04 > 0:37:08the record SEEM real - marking the label with a demo sign
0:37:08 > 0:37:11found on the original 1967 pressing.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15Next up, a classic David Bowie record.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16Or is it?
0:37:16 > 0:37:20This is a very convincing and attractive-looking picture disc
0:37:20 > 0:37:25of David Bowie's 1980 album Scary Monsters And Super Creeps.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28This album has never been issued
0:37:28 > 0:37:32anywhere in the world on picture disc format.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37To the untrained eye, the picture disc looks like a legitimate,
0:37:37 > 0:37:39limited edition rarity.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Fake records like these are pressed
0:37:42 > 0:37:45with poor copies of original recordings.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47The sound can be terrible
0:37:47 > 0:37:51and the records themselves poorly manufactured.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54There are a number of blemishes on the vinyl pressing itself
0:37:54 > 0:37:57which denotes a poor quality.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01If you look very closely, on inspection there are several
0:38:01 > 0:38:06what would be known as pit marks on the actual vinyl itself,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09so if you actually tried to play something like this
0:38:09 > 0:38:11on your record deck, you would damage your stylus.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16But we haven't finished yet. Our expert heads back
0:38:16 > 0:38:20into the market to scout out more dodgy discs.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24# We don't need no education... #
0:38:24 > 0:38:28As well as older rock anthems, some contemporary classics are also
0:38:28 > 0:38:31being faked, and he has no trouble picking up some examples.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35First up, kings of Manc cool, Oasis.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41At first glance at it, the cover has got the original fold-out,
0:38:41 > 0:38:45tri-fold sleeve, which is very attractive with the lyrics.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47yes, it looks like a genuine first edition,
0:38:47 > 0:38:49complete with catalogue number
0:38:49 > 0:38:52and potentially worth quite a bit of money.
0:38:52 > 0:38:53But it isn't.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56I can confirm this record was never issued
0:38:56 > 0:39:00in any coloured vinyl whatsoever. This is 100% fake.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06And the cheap, fake label is already peeling off.
0:39:07 > 0:39:12Altogether, our expert has picked up six albums and one single.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14All are completely fake.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Unfortunately, many people are spending their hard-earned money
0:39:17 > 0:39:20on these records. They think they're a special treat
0:39:20 > 0:39:23because they're presented in an appealing fashion
0:39:23 > 0:39:26in coloured vinyls and picture discs,
0:39:26 > 0:39:30but truth and reality is that they are being taken for ride.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34These are not genuine and have no long-time value.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Dave Wood is Head of Anti-Piracy at the BPI,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41the body responsible for protecting the revenue
0:39:41 > 0:39:43of music artists and labels.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46He's seen at first-hand the explosion
0:39:46 > 0:39:49in counterfeit vinyl in recent years.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51With the growth of vinyl sales, we've also seen a growth
0:39:51 > 0:39:54in counterfeit product being put out onto the market.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59And the mark-up between the cost of making a fake record
0:39:59 > 0:40:02and the potential sale price can be huge.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06It costs them around about 80p to a pound to make the recording,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09but they can sell it for any price they want, up to, say, £1,000.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11This is a very rare recording,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14a white vinyl recording of a U2 single.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17If this was going to go onto the marketplace at the moment
0:40:17 > 0:40:19it would be worth around £800.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21It's a legitimate recording, it's rare.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25So the counterfeiters have tried to get into the market,
0:40:25 > 0:40:28so they've produced a counterfeit copy of the single in green
0:40:28 > 0:40:30saying it's a version of the original disc.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32A fan that doesn't know it's a counterfeit
0:40:32 > 0:40:35will certainly pay up to £100 on an auction site for it.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39The bogus disc is also produced in an array of dazzling colours,
0:40:39 > 0:40:40including white.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Many of the fakes originate in Eastern Europe.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45We've noticed that a lot of it's coming
0:40:45 > 0:40:48from Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Germany.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51# Don't make a grown man cry... #
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Now, while you might expect records by big bands like the Rolling Stones
0:40:54 > 0:40:57to be counterfeited, fraudsters are even targeting
0:40:57 > 0:40:59classic electronic music.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Richard Brophy's a huge house music enthusiast,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06and like many DJs still buys his music on vinyl.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09It's not an anonymous file on a computer.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12You can touch it, you can feel it, it's art.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16But when Richard paid a visit to a famous London record store,
0:41:16 > 0:41:18he had a nightmare on wax.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21I was flicking through the racks, and surprisingly
0:41:21 > 0:41:24found a number of records that are either
0:41:24 > 0:41:27very, very hard to find or out of print.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Richard bought the discs, but when he posted pictures
0:41:30 > 0:41:33of his rare finds on the internet, he was in for a shock.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36Someone replied very quickly to say all of these records have been
0:41:36 > 0:41:40out of print for years and what you've been sold is a fake.
0:41:41 > 0:41:42It was a big let-down.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Bit angry, frustrated. Felt sorry for the artists in question.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49A lot of the Chicago House producers from the '80s
0:41:49 > 0:41:53and early '90s have fallen on hard times, financial difficulties,
0:41:53 > 0:41:57and I just felt it was a bit of a slap in the face for them.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59The level of detail on the fake records was incredible.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02They seemed like they'd been pressed in the 1990s,
0:42:02 > 0:42:04and had exactly the same artwork.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07The first is Beginning of Life, by Mike Perras.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14All these details are put on without label and artist's consent,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17so, yeah, it's completely bogus.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Sickened by the fakery, Richard decided to investigate.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23He contacted Mike Perras, the musician behind the original
0:42:23 > 0:42:27release, to see if he knew his records were being faked.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29He had no idea.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33He felt like someone had stolen something from him.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35He was shocked and dismayed.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Clearly, Richard's a huge music fan
0:42:38 > 0:42:42and the experience of being duped by the fakers has left him outraged.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44It's comparable to copying a well known painting
0:42:44 > 0:42:48and selling it as one of your own. It's completely illegal
0:42:48 > 0:42:51and they're making money off the back of someone else's creativity.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58As vinyl sales continue to soar on the high street, online
0:42:58 > 0:43:01and at fairs, fakes of new and classic records
0:43:01 > 0:43:04will continue to rise, too.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07# You make a grown man cry-y-y... #
0:43:12 > 0:43:15That's all from Fake Britain. Bye-bye.
0:43:24 > 0:43:29Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd