0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:06 > 0:00:07Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Police!
0:00:19 > 0:00:21- Get down, get down! - Get on the floor now!
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Here at the Fake Britain house, things might look familiar, but
0:00:28 > 0:00:33don't be taken in, because this is a house that is filled with fakes.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37In this series, I'll be revealing the counterfeits, copies and cons
0:00:37 > 0:00:40that are flooding the market, fooling the public,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44making money for the criminals and maybe even putting you in danger.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46We'll be investigating those fraudsters
0:00:46 > 0:00:50who are cashing in by selling us something that isn't real,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54and we'll be showing you how to avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Today on Fake Britain...
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Trading Standards clamping down on the rogue operators using
0:01:00 > 0:01:05fake ATOL memberships to convince travellers to part with thousands.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I was really disgusted that anybody could do that.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12The fake LED lights that are shockingly bad.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15It's seriously dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19The huge haul of fake goods flooding the country.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22We reveal what's for sale at just one high street shop.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25He didn't want to actually give me access to the basement,
0:01:25 > 0:01:27and now I can see why.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29And the tragic story of the young boy killed by
0:01:29 > 0:01:32fake almond powder in his curry.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36It's absolutely destroyed that family. It really has.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46When it comes to holidays, we Brits are big spenders.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50We pay an average of around £1,000 per person to get us
0:01:50 > 0:01:53out of the nine-to-five. That's a lot of money.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56And when we sign up to fly away on our package trip,
0:01:56 > 0:02:01it makes to sense to know our money and holiday are protected.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05This sign on your glossy brochure says they are.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08It means the company has an Air Travel Operators' Licence -
0:02:08 > 0:02:12ATOL. So, that's all OK then...except this is a fake.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15This company didn't have a licence.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18And as we are about to find out, you may need to take a closer
0:02:18 > 0:02:22look at your travel operator the next time you book a holiday.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28When David and Marlene Jackson from East Sussex retired, they were
0:02:28 > 0:02:32finally able to look forward to planning their holiday in Russia.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36I came across this company called Russian Gateway.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Excellent website, very well written, very clear, good photographs,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43good description of the ship that we would be going on,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45a very professional presentation.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49It gave the impression that Russian Gateway was the specialist
0:02:49 > 0:02:53company, and because of that, it generated a feeling of trust.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57So far, so good with the company's website.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59But being seasoned travellers,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02David and Marlene knew to look for a travel company that would
0:03:02 > 0:03:06protect their money should things take a turn for the worse.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10The ATOL logo in particular was something which encouraged us
0:03:10 > 0:03:13as it was a bona fide company, a bona fide claim, and that we
0:03:13 > 0:03:17were covered if there was any cancellation of any kind at all.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21ATOL is a protection scheme for air holidays managed
0:03:21 > 0:03:24by the Civil Aviation Authority.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27And ATOL tour operator protects you from losing money or
0:03:27 > 0:03:31being stranded abroad if the company goes bust.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Convinced that they had found the right company to
0:03:34 > 0:03:36arrange their holiday, the Jacksons took the plunge
0:03:36 > 0:03:39and booked their Russian adventure.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43But their plans for the trip abroad were about to be sunk...
0:03:43 > 0:03:46by a series of forest fires around Moscow.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49It was about a week before we were due to go that we were advised
0:03:49 > 0:03:53not to go, so we cancelled that trip and we talked about it
0:03:53 > 0:03:55and decided to postpone for a year.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58David and Marlene's holiday would have to wait.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00They had already paid for it and were desperate to go,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03so decided to leave their money with Alan Steel,
0:04:03 > 0:04:08the director of Russia Gateway UK Limited of Leamington Spa,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11not to be confused with any other company of a similar name.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14They looked forward to their holiday.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17We got in touch with them again, we fixed the dates.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20He told us the hotel we'd be staying in.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23He told us the flights we'd be on.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25It seemed that the holiday would be going ahead,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29so they spent £750 on ballet tickets, which they
0:04:29 > 0:04:32arranged to be sent to their hotel in Moscow.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37We then got a message from the ticket agency that we booked through
0:04:37 > 0:04:39to say they had tried to deliver the tickets to the hotel,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41but the hotel didn't know anything about us.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44And that was sort of the first indication that something was
0:04:44 > 0:04:46going wrong with the second trip.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48With their holiday drawing closer
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and their hotel having no record of their booking,
0:04:51 > 0:04:55David got back in touch with Alan Steel at Russian Gateway.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58He was having financial problems with his Russian suppliers
0:04:58 > 0:05:02and he was due to see his bank manager the following day.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05This is a week before we were due to go on holiday.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07The Jacksons didn't know what to think.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Up till literally two days before we were due to go,
0:05:11 > 0:05:15we were being told there was still a possibility we'd go.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18To be quite honest, I think it was just unbelievable.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22I mean, there are your suitcases that you have started to pack
0:05:22 > 0:05:24and come to a grinding halt.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28I was really upset about it, wasn't I?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I think, really, you still have sleepless nights.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32It was just awful.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35I mean, we just didn't know what was going to happen.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Finally, Russian Gateway admitted it to the couple
0:05:40 > 0:05:43that they wouldn't be going on their long-awaited trip.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47David demanded a refund, but company director Alan Steel said
0:05:47 > 0:05:50they could only afford to pay them back in instalments.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54We said, "What we'd like you to do is to pay us so much a month in advance,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57"from September onwards."
0:05:57 > 0:05:59And he agreed to that in principle.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02In reality, they didn't get back one penny,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05despite months of phone calls and e-mails asking for a refund.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10We personally, total, had lost just over £3,000.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14It's a lot of money. It was for us.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17The Jacksons thought their money would be protected.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Surely the ATOL logos they had seen were proof of that.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24So David contacted the Civil Aviation Authority,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27who manage the ATOL scheme, to see if they could help.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29And it was at that point that we were told that in fact
0:06:29 > 0:06:32he was no longer a member, and he hadn't been a member for six years,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35which means he had been fraudulently displaying the ATOL logo
0:06:35 > 0:06:38throughout that period when he wasn't entitled to do so.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Marlene was horrified that they had been duped by what
0:06:41 > 0:06:45was in fact a fake ATOL logo.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48When we found out that the ATOL logo
0:06:48 > 0:06:52and the claims to be a member of ATOL were fake...
0:06:54 > 0:06:57..I was really disgusted that anybody could do that.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59You see all these symbols appearing all over the place
0:06:59 > 0:07:02and you take them for granted that, in fact, if they display them,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04then they are entitled to display them.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09We both thought that the ATOL logo was genuine.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- We had no way... - We had no reason to think otherwise.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16But the fakery didn't just end with the ATOL logos,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18David and Marlene realised that the claim
0:07:18 > 0:07:22made by Allen Steel in the small print of the brochure
0:07:22 > 0:07:25that their money was protected was utterly worthless.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28So, in the terms and conditions, it is quite clear that he says
0:07:28 > 0:07:34he was covered by an insurance bond to comply with European regulations.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39- That was a fake claim. That is total misrepresentation.- That is.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Russian Gateway's fakery had ruined David and Marlene's holiday plans.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47So was initially extreme disappointment,
0:07:47 > 0:07:52as it was cancelled, followed by hope that we were able to go eventually,
0:07:52 > 0:07:53followed by anger when we couldn't.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00The Jacksons weren't the only ones to be duped by Russian Gateway.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Eleanor Lake, from Warwickshire Trading Standards,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07had received dozens of phone calls from disgruntled holiday-makers
0:08:07 > 0:08:10who had been misled by the travel company.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12It was large-scale fraud.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16We was aware of around 31 consumers who were affected as a result
0:08:16 > 0:08:21of this, and they had lost in the region of £140,000.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Many of the people who lost their money were elderly and vulnerable.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30The sort of victims that we had in this case were older pensioners.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34This was the holiday of a lifetime for quite a lot of them,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and £3,000 to £4,000 wasn't an unusual amount of money
0:08:37 > 0:08:39for people to have lost.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Many of the holiday-makers thought they'd been doing the right thing
0:08:43 > 0:08:45by specifically looking for assurances that
0:08:45 > 0:08:48their money would be protected should the worst happen.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Consumers have said that they were particularly looking out for
0:08:51 > 0:08:54an ATOL logo as a form of protection for them.
0:08:54 > 0:08:59All British firms selling flight packages are legally required
0:08:59 > 0:09:02to hold an ATOL licence and show the logo.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04This would be a fake use of their logo.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07He didn't have permission to produce it.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10And consumers would be misled into believing that they were
0:09:10 > 0:09:13getting some sort of protection when they were not.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17It turned out that Russian Gateway wasn't just faking its ATOL logos,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19the company also claimed to be a member of ABTA -
0:09:19 > 0:09:22the Association of British Travel Agents.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25It is a stamp of approval and should mean customers receive high
0:09:25 > 0:09:28standards of service and accurate information.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32One of the consumers was concerned that they didn't know
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Mr Steel's ABTA number.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Rather than admitting that he didn't have an ABTA number
0:09:37 > 0:09:41because he wasn't an ABTA registered business, he actually
0:09:41 > 0:09:46produced an e-mail to this witness and he created a fake ABTA number.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49The ABTA number did belong to a genuine business,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53and that business had a similar sounding name to Mr Steel's.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57And his hope was that this consumer would be fooled
0:09:57 > 0:10:00by that false number. And that would make them
0:10:00 > 0:10:05feel confident enough to pay the rest of the money for the booking.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08As Eleanor dug deeper, it became clear that Russian Gateway
0:10:08 > 0:10:12offered its customers absolutely no protection.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16What Mr Steel had done was told people that their money would be
0:10:16 > 0:10:20kept secure until they came back from the holiday, but he had lied.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24He had made these false statements that that money was protected.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27And nothing could prepare Eleanor for the reality of what
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Mr Steel was actually doing with his customers' money.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35When we obtained the bank account details for Mr Steel,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38you could actually see that he was using his business
0:10:38 > 0:10:40account for his personal expenses.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43You could see his shopping was coming out of that account,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47so various personal groceries were coming on there.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52So there was no evidence that money had gone in from a consumer and then
0:10:52 > 0:10:55that same amount of money had gone into some sort of trust account.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57The business was spiralling out of control
0:10:57 > 0:11:01and all of Russian Gateway's customers were at risk.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04The very thing that the package travel regulations are there
0:11:04 > 0:11:07to protect against is if a company goes bust,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11and that is the very thing that happened in this case, is that the
0:11:11 > 0:11:13company went into liquidation
0:11:13 > 0:11:18and all of that money that consumers had interested, around £140,000
0:11:18 > 0:11:22worth of consumer money, disappeared overnight.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Fortunately, the holiday-makers who lost out to
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Russian Gateway's ATOL and ABTA fakery eventually managed
0:11:29 > 0:11:30to get their money back
0:11:30 > 0:11:34as a result of the case brought by Warwickshire Trading Standards.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Alan Steel had to sell his luxury home to pay his prosecution
0:11:40 > 0:11:44costs - he was ordered to pay over £135,000 in compensation
0:11:44 > 0:11:48to 31 victims, and he was sent to prison.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Mr Steel was given a 2.5 year custodial sentence,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54which reflects the scale of the fraud.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57The judge said that the actions that Mr Steel had done had
0:11:57 > 0:12:00undermined confidence in the travel industry
0:12:00 > 0:12:04and the judge had taken a lot of regard of the impact
0:12:04 > 0:12:06statements given by the witnesses
0:12:06 > 0:12:10and this holiday of a lifetime was lost to them.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Eleanor has some advice for anyone out there who might be
0:12:13 > 0:12:14planning a holiday.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18Consumers can go onto the Civil Aviation Authority's website
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and check an ATOL for themselves to find out
0:12:20 > 0:12:22whether a company is ATOL protected.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Coming up, we're out with Trading Standards as they crack
0:12:27 > 0:12:31down on the tour operators putting holiday-makers at risk.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35They would be handing over £4,000, £5,000 a package.
0:12:35 > 0:12:36They are not protected.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45We are a nation of curry lovers, with over 20 million of us
0:12:45 > 0:12:48tucking into something like this every month.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52And this is almond powder, used in loads of different curries.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56But we have discovered that some almond powder out there is fake.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59So it is not just almonds that will be in your curry.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04It could be something that is proved fatal for some allergy sufferers.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Previously on Fake Britain,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11we have come across all kinds of food fakery,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14from fake lamb to fake fish.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18But now there is a new and potentially deadly kind of fakery
0:13:18 > 0:13:21out there involving the almond powder used to thicken
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and flavour curries.
0:13:24 > 0:13:29In some cases, almond powder is being adulterated with peanuts.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Trading Standards are finding fake almond powder
0:13:31 > 0:13:33in restaurants across the country.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38And that could be a problem for the half a million people in the UK
0:13:38 > 0:13:40who have a peanut allergy.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41The problem is getting worse,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45with around 4,000 people being newly diagnosed each year.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53Detective Chief Inspector Michael Fraser knows all too well the very
0:13:53 > 0:13:55real dangers of fake almond powder.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00He investigated the case of 12-year-old Connor Donaldson.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Connor was a perfectly healthy boy with the exception that he was
0:14:03 > 0:14:05an asthma sufferer.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09He was also diagnosed as having a nut allergy.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11That particular day, the family decided
0:14:11 > 0:14:15they were going to have a takeaway - curry - from the local takeaway.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Because of Connor's peanut allergy, his mum asked the restaurant
0:14:19 > 0:14:23to confirm that his prawn balti would not contain any peanuts.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26They confirmed there were no peanuts in the dish.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30Just moments after his first few mouthfuls,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Connor was unable to breathe.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37He had gone into anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Connor was rushed by ambulance to hospital.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42An emergency staff did all they could to help him,
0:14:42 > 0:14:43but it was too late.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48After arriving at the hospital, it was confirmed that Connor had died.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54It's absolutely devastating for any family to lose a loved one.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57It is particularly devastating when that loved one is a young child
0:14:57 > 0:15:00within your family, within your community.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07It's absolutely destroyed that family. It really has.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14From that moment on, it was DCI Fraser's job to find out why
0:15:14 > 0:15:17and how Connor had died.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Traces of peanut were actually found within his body.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27Subsequent investigation at the local takeaway found that they
0:15:27 > 0:15:30didn't have peanuts within that takeaway, within
0:15:30 > 0:15:32any of their recipes whatsoever.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38While peanuts weren't used as an ingredient in the recipes,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40the restaurant had used almond paste,
0:15:40 > 0:15:46but shockingly, almonds weren't the only nut present in the paste.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Subsequent investigation revealed that the actual almond paste
0:15:49 > 0:15:52and the almond powders within the restaurant had actually been
0:15:52 > 0:15:56adulterated by up to 50% peanut content.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01Connor's death has been caused because almonds have been adulterated
0:16:01 > 0:16:05somewhere in the food chain by peanuts.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08But it wasn't going to be easy to find out where or when
0:16:08 > 0:16:10the almond powder had been faked.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15There was absolute no suggestion whatsoever that the adulteration
0:16:15 > 0:16:18of that almond with those peanuts took place
0:16:18 > 0:16:21within that particular takeaway.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25You then have to start looking back in the food supply chain,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29and there were so many different areas of where that
0:16:29 > 0:16:33adulteration could occur that it is almost impossible to identify
0:16:33 > 0:16:36where that adulteration has taken place.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44We wanted to find out why anyone would want to fake almond
0:16:44 > 0:16:46powder by using ground peanuts.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50So we visited award-winning chef Cyrus Todiwala
0:16:50 > 0:16:52at his Indian restaurant.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56I am not surprised that almond powder will get adulterated
0:16:56 > 0:16:57because almond powder is expensive.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01As you know, almonds are expensive compared to other certain
0:17:01 > 0:17:04cheaper nuts, maybe peanuts, for example.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08A very good quality almond powder could be up to £20 a kilo.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10And a cheap almond powder could be between seven, eight,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12nine, ten pounds a kilo.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15If you asked for cheaper quality almond powder
0:17:15 > 0:17:18from a manufacturer, he could put peanuts inside,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20for example, he could put something else inside, for example.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23And you would never know what is inside.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26And that could be hazardous.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Cyrus thinks the pressure on small businesses to
0:17:30 > 0:17:34maximise their profits has led to some unscrupulous traders
0:17:34 > 0:17:38using cheaper peanuts to bulk up more expensive almond powder.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41If the public keep demanding cheap, cheap,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45cheap all the time, people who open restaurants are there to make
0:17:45 > 0:17:47some money, create a livelihood.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50And if we keep pushing the price down, pushing them
0:17:50 > 0:17:51on pressure to reduce the price,
0:17:51 > 0:17:56they're forced to buy poor quality, cheaper quality raw materials.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59And cheaper quality raw materials are not necessarily
0:17:59 > 0:18:02the best for your health.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05The owner of the restaurant may not necessarily know,
0:18:05 > 0:18:10and they could quite innocently be cooking with that product
0:18:10 > 0:18:14and giving the person who can actually suffer from an anaphylactic
0:18:14 > 0:18:19shock, for instance, a product that he never should have had.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22It is enough to make any restaurateur stop and think.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Knowing what he does about the dangers faced by diners with
0:18:25 > 0:18:26peanut allergies,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Cyrus pays forensic attention to what is inside his almond powder.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36It is very, very essential that you buy something that you
0:18:36 > 0:18:40are sure of the history of it, where it originated,
0:18:40 > 0:18:41where it was produced.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46And we always demand that everything is supported by a lab test report
0:18:46 > 0:18:49or a report from the manufacturer on allergens.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52The certificate that comes with Cyrus's almond powder is
0:18:52 > 0:18:55issued by a lab that is used by the wholesaler to test
0:18:55 > 0:18:57the contents of raw ingredients.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03This test is an assurance that customers with peanut allergies
0:19:03 > 0:19:07can eat the almond powder in their meals without ending up in hospital.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09The peanut is there, that it has
0:19:09 > 0:19:11"no peanuts and products thereof".
0:19:11 > 0:19:15So all of these put together give you a completely
0:19:15 > 0:19:20clear message that this product is what you want to use.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Corinne Lowe from the Trading Standards Institute believes
0:19:25 > 0:19:29that somewhere out there right now, either deliberately or
0:19:29 > 0:19:32otherwise, restaurants could be using ground peanuts
0:19:32 > 0:19:35instead of ground almonds in their meals.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Trading Standards are testing meals and finding, unfortunately,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43in some cases, up to 40% of those meals can contain peanut
0:19:43 > 0:19:46when they have been described as peanut-free.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50Not only is it a criminal offence to misdescribe food,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54you are also risking people's lives by bulking out
0:19:54 > 0:19:56almond powder with peanut.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Trading Standards across the country continue to investigate
0:20:00 > 0:20:03cases of suspected fake almond powder.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15Earlier, we saw how David and Marlene Jackson, from East Sussex,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19lost over £3,000 trying to book their dream holiday through
0:20:19 > 0:20:22a company with a fake ATOL membership.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Up till literally two days before we were due to go,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29we were being told there was still a possibility we'd go.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31But Russian Gateway isn't the only travel company out there
0:20:31 > 0:20:35faking its ATOL logos and putting holiday-makers at risk.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Today, Mohammed Tariq from Birmingham Trading Standards,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44is travelling down south to join forces with Trading Standards
0:20:44 > 0:20:46from a London borough.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51They received information that suspect travel businesses are using
0:20:51 > 0:20:56fake ATOL logos to dupe British Muslims planning their hajj trips.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Hajj is a religious pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03As we're coming up to the hajj season in a couple of weeks' time,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06so you're going to get a lot of travel agents just popping up,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08trying to make a quick buck.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Reputable travel companies pay a large fee, meet financial tests
0:21:12 > 0:21:14and put up a bond to be part of the ATOL scheme
0:21:14 > 0:21:16and have permission to display the logo.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20But some dodgy operators don't want to pay to be a member, meaning they
0:21:20 > 0:21:25are selling unprotected holidays to unsuspecting holiday-makers.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Trading Standards are duty-bound to stop them.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30They have arrived at the first suspect travel business.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Is the owner about, please?
0:21:35 > 0:21:36Is anybody else in the premises?
0:21:40 > 0:21:43The man doesn't seem to be involved,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46so the officers head to the back of the shop to find the owner.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Are you the owner or the manager?
0:21:48 > 0:21:50No, he is.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52- He is, outside?- Yeah, yeah. - He told me you were.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- No.- What, the gentleman that is sitting there? He is the owner?
0:21:55 > 0:21:56The one that was sitting here?
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Looks like the man they spoke to earlier was involved.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- He's run off.- Has he run off?
0:22:01 > 0:22:04And he is clearly in the mood for a bit of exercise.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08- He's running, running, running. - Oh, yeah, I can see him, yeah.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Obviously, he has got something to hide and he has just run off.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15The officers will try to catch up with him on another day.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19But for now, it is time to take a look at why he might have run off.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Tariq doesn't have to go inside the shop to find some
0:22:22 > 0:22:25potentially incriminating evidence.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27The ATOL logo you can see there is fake, basically,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31because they are not licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34If you haven't got a licence with the Civil Aviation Authority,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37you are not permitted to sell any packages.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Inside, the officers manage to get one of the owners on the phone.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Obviously, you've got a fake ATOL logo out there.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46You are giving the indication to members of the public
0:22:46 > 0:22:48that you are ATOL protected.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52You are not ATOL protected, so why have you put the sign up there?
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Tariq knows the fake ATOL logos displayed by this business
0:22:55 > 0:22:58could spell bad news for prospective travellers.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Rogue traders don't want to pay for that licence and
0:23:02 > 0:23:05they are bypassing that by claiming to be falsely ATOL protected.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07It's not cheap going on hajj or umra,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10we're talking about £4,000, £5,000 a package.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Now, often pilgrims will save this. This is a life savings.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16And what will happen if the company goes bust
0:23:16 > 0:23:18or the trader goes down,
0:23:18 > 0:23:19the consumer is not protected.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Tariq will be making further inquiries about this company, but
0:23:25 > 0:23:29there are others out there, duping consumers with fake ATOL logos.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34So the officers head to another suspect business around the corner.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Tariq explains to the owner why they are there.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41We have carried out some checks in relation to your premises.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44So what we are looking at is traders passing off themselves
0:23:44 > 0:23:46as being ATOL licensed, and they are not.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49As the search gets under way, Tariq immediately finds
0:23:49 > 0:23:54a suspect advertisement that could dupe unsuspecting holiday-makers.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55Look how sophisticated that looks.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Anyone looking at that will think they are dealing with a proper,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01legitimate company who is ATOL protected.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04But there are other fake ATOL logos at this business -
0:24:04 > 0:24:06dozens in the customer waiting area.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08You got documentation down yet,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12that has got the ATOL logo there as well. That is fake.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14And outside the shop, it is the same story.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17If I can just show you... When a customer is coming in,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19it says it is ATOL protected there.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23That is misleading because you are not associated with ATOL.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28The owner's records leave a lot to be desired and there is real
0:24:28 > 0:24:31concern about what he has been doing with his customers' money.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Money has been taken off consumers
0:24:33 > 0:24:37and then what this gentleman does is put some money into his account,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40which is totally against the CAA regulations.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44The money should go straight into an ATOL protected account,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47ATOL holder account, so the money is protected then.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Obviously, he goes into his account, then...
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Where is the money being protected?
0:24:53 > 0:24:56The officers have enough evidence to caution and question the man.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59It is a criminal offence to say ATOL protected
0:24:59 > 0:25:01when you are not ATOL protected.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you
0:25:04 > 0:25:05do not mention in questioning
0:25:05 > 0:25:07something that you later rely on in court.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11What we are going to do is we are going to seize any documentation -
0:25:11 > 0:25:15leaflets, banners - that are displaying this fake logo, yeah?
0:25:16 > 0:25:19This company is about to lose all its glossy advertising.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23It is fake and it is also evidence, so it has got to be seized.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28This is a result for Birmingham Trading Standards with
0:25:28 > 0:25:32companies under investigation for using fake ATOL logos that
0:25:32 > 0:25:35could leave holiday-makers unprotected.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Remember, if you are about to book a holiday, you can check
0:25:41 > 0:25:44if your travel provider is genuinely ATOL protected
0:25:44 > 0:25:48by logging onto the Civil Aviation Authority's website.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57This is a Light Emitting Diode, or LED bulb.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00It is new lighting technology that gives out more
0:26:00 > 0:26:04light for the amount of power it consumes than conventional bulbs.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07It is also supposed to last longer and be safer
0:26:07 > 0:26:09because it is cool to the touch.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12This LED bulb does all that.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14But this one doesn't.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19It has a fake safety mark on it and it is on sale online now.
0:26:19 > 0:26:20As we're about to find out,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24plug this or any of these fake LED bulbs in
0:26:24 > 0:26:27and you might get more than you bargained for.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Retired electronics engineer Derek Hawthorne from Hampshire
0:26:33 > 0:26:36wanted to update the lighting in his house.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40In a light-bulb moment, he decided to replace the old light
0:26:40 > 0:26:43bulbs on his cooker with new LED bulbs.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47I thought it was just a matter of picking the right
0:26:47 > 0:26:52size of lamp from an auction website, making sure that the wattage
0:26:52 > 0:26:57was about right and plug it in and forget about it.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Derek went ahead and ordered his LED bulbs on the internet.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06The package arrived, the lamps looked to be of reasonable quality
0:27:06 > 0:27:10and I thought, "This is plug and play, fit and forget."
0:27:10 > 0:27:16So Derek did fit and forget about his new LED bulb, that is
0:27:16 > 0:27:18until a few days later.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20I moved my hand first of all just underneath,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23and I could feel quite a lot of heat coming out.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26And then I moved my hand up and across the underneath of the cooker
0:27:26 > 0:27:29hood and received an electric shock.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34The jolt left Derek shaken, but luckily, nothing more than that.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39As an electronic engineer, Derek knows a thing or two about wiring.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41As far as he was concerned,
0:27:41 > 0:27:46getting an electric shock from an LED bulb could mean only one thing.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49If I buy a lamp from a certified manufacturer,
0:27:49 > 0:27:53I don't expect to get any kind of an electric shock, because a lamp
0:27:53 > 0:27:55or a bulb should be completely insulated
0:27:55 > 0:27:57from the electricity supply.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03A product purported to have met standards but in fact was
0:28:03 > 0:28:06probably a fake because it didn't meet those standards.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10If an LED bulb but with a CE mark gives you an electric shock,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13then the CE mark itself is probably fake.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19Concerned that they were dangerous, Derek got rid of his fake LED bulbs,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23so we brought him one that was almost identical to those he fitted.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26There are exposed connections
0:28:26 > 0:28:29here, here - and either side of every single LED
0:28:29 > 0:28:31is an exposed connection.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35There is no protection on the front of the lamp to stop
0:28:35 > 0:28:39you from touching any of these parts and receiving an electric shock.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Derek had brushed against the top of a lamp similar to this one.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45He thinks he had a lucky escape,
0:28:45 > 0:28:49as the electric shock he received wasn't very powerful.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51But not everybody could be as fortunate.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56What would happen if my wife was cleaning underneath the cooker
0:28:56 > 0:28:59hood and she used a damp cloth?
0:28:59 > 0:29:01She would get a much more severe shock.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04If a component in the lamp were to fail,
0:29:04 > 0:29:08then the consequences could have been death.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12Derek also found himself thinking of the consequences of someone
0:29:12 > 0:29:15using a fake LED bulb like this one outdoors.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19That would have been potentially tragic because they would have
0:29:19 > 0:29:23suffered a lethal shock in the event that the lamp had got wet.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27They are potentially hazardous and a risk to life.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30And it is very difficult for people to know
0:29:30 > 0:29:33whether they've got a product that is a fake or not.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37The fake LED bulb that we showed Derek was bought online.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Disturbingly, it is just one of thousands of fake LED bulbs
0:29:40 > 0:29:41out there.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Since the European Union ban on older-style filament bulbs
0:29:45 > 0:29:49was phased in, demand for LED lamps has rapidly increased,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52as has the production of the fakes.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Suffolk Trading Standards sees this pile of fake LED bulbs
0:29:55 > 0:30:00on their way from China into the UK through the port of Felixstowe.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Many are almost identical to the one that gave
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Derek Hawthorne his nasty shock.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Over here, we've got nearly 1,000 LED bulbs,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12which are just part of a larger consignment.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15The problem with these is that they've got fake CE marks.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18By that, I mean it is either been misapplied or, in this instance,
0:30:18 > 0:30:22the CE mark itself doesn't actually meet the criteria which it should.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24It's a fake.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28With their fake CE markings, these LED bulbs could be dangerous.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32But we wanted to find out just how dangerous the fakes can be.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37So we went to leading test house Intertek to meet electrical
0:30:37 > 0:30:39safety expert Steve Curtler.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42How can you tell the difference between a genuine
0:30:42 > 0:30:44and a fake LED bulb?
0:30:44 > 0:30:48We can see on the genuine, there is a cover over the LED lamp
0:30:48 > 0:30:51and the LED array itself and any connections, which means
0:30:51 > 0:30:55I can't put my finger on to anything that might have dangerous voltages.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Steve ordered an LED bulb on the internet,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03identical to the one that shocked Derek Hawthorne.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05At first glance, he is concerned.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09You can actually unscrew the lamp itself
0:31:09 > 0:31:12and get access to live parts, hazardous parts.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16No lamp should be able to be taken apart purely by unscrewing it.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21Easy access to dangerous wiring can mean only one thing for the CE
0:31:21 > 0:31:24and other safety markings on this bulb.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28We've got a problem here at that has the potential to kill somebody.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31And there is no way that genuine manufacturers would produce...
0:31:31 > 0:31:35manufacture anything that could come apart as easy as that.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38There is no doubt that the safety marks that have been applied
0:31:38 > 0:31:42onto this lamp are indeed false, fake.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46With the testing, Steve hopes to put his finger on the problem.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48Well, not his finger exactly.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52We are going to be using a laboratory test finger to simulate
0:31:52 > 0:31:55someone actually touching the outside of the lamp.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58The artificial finger will be connected to a lamp that
0:31:58 > 0:32:00represents the human body.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03If that is to light up, then we know that there is a voltage
0:32:03 > 0:32:04and a current there.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08And then we want to see how dangerous that voltage and current is.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13First, Steve will test a genuine LED lamp.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15OK then, Mike, when you are ready.
0:32:16 > 0:32:21So, we're touching the lamp wherever we can with the test finger.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24The lamp is not coming on. We are not getting any dangerous voltages.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26We get no voltage at all, in fact.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30The genuine LED lamp has passed the test with flying colours.
0:32:31 > 0:32:37Now, what about the LED lamp that Steve bought from an online store?
0:32:37 > 0:32:38To pass the safety test,
0:32:38 > 0:32:41the voltage on the surface of this LED bulb,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45which someone could feasibly touch, must not exceed 60 volts
0:32:45 > 0:32:47and the current - two milliamps.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52It is an immediate result for the fake LED bulb.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57We have got way over the 60 volt limit. 178 volts.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00It has failed spectacularly.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04This isn't just slightly over the voltage limit,
0:33:04 > 0:33:08this is way over, about three times the amount.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11So that is extremely hazardous.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14And the same for the current, 91 milliamps.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17So that is extremely dangerous.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21You could easily get a fatal electric shock from this scenario.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26Steve has all the information he needs to pass final judgment
0:33:26 > 0:33:27on this fake.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Clearly, the bulb has never been tested before.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33It is marked up with all the safety marks to say that it has been.
0:33:33 > 0:33:38So those marks are fake, the lamp is fake. It is seriously dangerous.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41And potentially life-threatening.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Anyone fitting a fake LED lamp like this in their house could be
0:33:45 > 0:33:48lucky only to walk away with a minor electric shock.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53But Steve is not finished.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56There is another suspected fake lamp he'd like to test,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58and it is a big one.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02This could be fitted in a shop, school or other public area.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08They run the test, and Steve is astonished by the results.
0:34:08 > 0:34:14We have got voltage of 203 volts, which is ridiculous.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Extremely hazardous voltage there.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19That is nearly four times the limit.
0:34:19 > 0:34:2397 milliamps - a fatal electric shock waiting to happen
0:34:23 > 0:34:27if you were to touch that when it was in the lamp fitting itself,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29so unfortunately, another fake.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34The fake LED lamps that Steve tested today could kill.
0:34:34 > 0:34:35Some of them, like this one,
0:34:35 > 0:34:39have come from the shipment seized by Suffolk Trading Standards.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45After these and other tests, Suffolk Trading Standards
0:34:45 > 0:34:49are taking drastic action to ensure the fake LED bulbs
0:34:49 > 0:34:51they seized will never be able to harm anyone.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55So these fake LED bulbs are going to be destroyed.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59The reason why we do destroy these things is because they are unsafe.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05It is a dangerous product and can't be allowed for sale within the EU.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16As we have seen on Fake Britain, fake versions of everyday
0:35:16 > 0:35:20items we all buy are pouring into the country every day.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Take a look at these evidence bags -
0:35:22 > 0:35:26sunglasses, cigarette lighters, and loom bands.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28We've also got much, much more.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31We've been out with Trading Standards and the police to see
0:35:31 > 0:35:35how much fakery can be found in one shop on one high street.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37It could be a high street near you.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43It is early morning somewhere in London.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Trading Standards officer David Hunt is leading a major
0:35:46 > 0:35:49crackdown on potentially dangerous counterfeit goods
0:35:49 > 0:35:52suspected of being sold from a high street shop.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Trading Standards will lead the operation into the premises,
0:35:55 > 0:35:57accompanied with the police.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Introduce ourselves, explain what is happening.
0:36:01 > 0:36:0411 brand representatives from leading companies who
0:36:04 > 0:36:08think their products are being faked are joining forces with Trading
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Standards and the police in a major antique counterfeiting operation.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15All right, this is the premises, here on our left-hand side,
0:36:15 > 0:36:17we're coming to visit.
0:36:17 > 0:36:18Good morning.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22David is straight into the shop for a chat with the shop assistant.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25We are going to carry out an inspection on the shop here today.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27I have a number of brand holders with me, OK?
0:36:27 > 0:36:29We are going to look around the shop.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33Anything we find that is fake, so that has got trademarks or
0:36:33 > 0:36:37copyright applied or anything that is unsafe, we will seize.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40The shop is on the corner of a busy main road,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42so the police have to cordon it off.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44One of the shop assistants isn't terribly happy
0:36:44 > 0:36:46that our film crew is there.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47Can you not film me?
0:36:47 > 0:36:50It might be because of what David has just spotted,
0:36:50 > 0:36:53brazenly on display in broad daylight.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55What we have here is a display of sunglasses.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59A significant number of them have got Ray-Ban's trademark on them.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03When we see fake sunglasses, we do seize them.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Inside the shop, David finds even more shoddy shades,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09complete with fake ultraviolet protection labelling.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13They have the label on them to say they have been tested for protection.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17The fake ones haven't had the testing done and if people wear them,
0:37:17 > 0:37:18they risk damaging their eyes.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20People buy them thinking they're going to
0:37:20 > 0:37:24protect their eyes from bright sunshine, and they don't.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27These fake sunglasses aren't the only potentially dangerous
0:37:27 > 0:37:30fake goods that David is on the hunt for today.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33It is not long before he spots something else.
0:37:33 > 0:37:38These lighters are manufactured to be copies of the Zippo type lighters,
0:37:38 > 0:37:40with brands on them.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44When you pull the inside out, they're not always tight.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45They are quite loose.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48And there is a chance that if it is filled with lighter fluid,
0:37:48 > 0:37:53that could actually come out around the top of the device
0:37:53 > 0:37:55when you ignite it.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58If the fluid is there, around the side, that will ignite.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02And this could cause serious burns to the hand of the user.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04And there are more fake lighters inside.
0:38:06 > 0:38:11These lighters are actually copies of Clippers.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Not only are they counterfeit, but they are very unsafe.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18They may explode on the person. Or if you drop them, they break easily.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21The gas will escape, with the risk of explosion.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24By now, the officers have established that this shop is
0:38:24 > 0:38:26selling potentially dangerous goods.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30But they are about to come across something out of the ordinary.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33There are 225 packets of substances known as legal highs.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36And unfortunately, people do consume them.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40And they cause serious illness and possibly psychosis.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43We don't know what effect these have on the human body and we don't
0:38:43 > 0:38:47know the long-term effects and if any permanent damage could be caused.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50While searching through a bag of legal highs,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53the officers have discovered another potentially harmful drug.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Found four packets of what appear to be Viagra tablets.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02They could be more fake goods and it raises a more serious
0:39:02 > 0:39:05issue of fake tablets being sold on the high street.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08These will have to go to the police to be tested and checked.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10It is over to the police to question the men
0:39:10 > 0:39:13working in the shop about the drugs that have been discovered.
0:39:13 > 0:39:18This is not legal. This is what we believe to be Viagra.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20Well, I usually don't sell these ones, so...
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- But it is behind the counter.- Yeah.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26And you have said today that you are in control of the store.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29Yeah, in control, but usually when the boss is around here,
0:39:29 > 0:39:30I run the small shop.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34So far, it is a successful operation -
0:39:34 > 0:39:38potentially dangerous fake lighters and sunglasses, legal highs
0:39:38 > 0:39:42and Viagra, all being sold out of this high street shop,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and all of which will be seized.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47As well as selling dangerous fake goods,
0:39:47 > 0:39:50the shop is brimful of something we have seen many
0:39:50 > 0:39:55times on Fake Britain - a bewildering array of fake fashion.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59As the officers bag and tag the fake clothing out on display,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02David is curious about what might be in the basement.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Section 28 of the Trade Descriptions Act gives me
0:40:04 > 0:40:09the power to enter anywhere on premises that are open for business.
0:40:09 > 0:40:10Your basement,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13I have power to enter as it is part of the business premises.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16But David is not going to be able to see what lies beneath
0:40:16 > 0:40:17without a fight.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Excuse me, Mr Police Officer, he is not going to allow me
0:40:20 > 0:40:21to go in the basement.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23He has got legal power to go in the basement, all right?
0:40:23 > 0:40:26So he is allowed down in the basement.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Finally, David gains access to the basement and it is immediately
0:40:29 > 0:40:33clear why the shop assistant didn't want to let him down there.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36There is a large amount of goods stored here.
0:40:36 > 0:40:42We have Yves Saint Laurent, Arctic Monkeys, Chicago Bulls.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45We have Chanel,
0:40:45 > 0:40:46Obey.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50Adidas here.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54Hidden below the shop are thousands of pounds worth of fake clothing.
0:40:54 > 0:40:55There is a large quantity of goods
0:40:55 > 0:40:58here that is all going to need to be looked at...
0:40:59 > 0:41:02..and inspected by the brand holders to see what we have here.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05He didn't want to actually give me access to the basement,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08and now I can see why he didn't want to do that.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10Along with the fake clothes upstairs,
0:41:10 > 0:41:14this subterranean hall will be bagged, tagged, and taken away.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18David feels lucky to have ever found it.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21This wall here was covered in T-shirts.
0:41:22 > 0:41:28And it was so you couldn't actually see the door, but the door is here.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30You gain access to a basement area.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32With the fake clothing taken care of,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36David is still on the hunt for potentially dangerous fakes.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38And he has found some more.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42This time, worryingly, in the form of children's bracelets.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46With the loom bands, what we have is we have requirements in the toy
0:41:46 > 0:41:50safety legislation that they should have certain markings on them.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53These loom bands do have the safety markings,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55but looks can be deceiving.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59And on this one, it has got an EN71 number, which is
0:41:59 > 0:42:02the British standard for child safety,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05but that British standard number wouldn't be made up like that.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08That marking is definitely fake, so they will be seized
0:42:08 > 0:42:12because we cannot be sure that they are a safe product.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16They might look harmless enough, but David knows how dangerous
0:42:16 > 0:42:21these children's bracelets could be for anyone who ends up wearing them.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Because they have not been tested for chemicals such as phthalates,
0:42:24 > 0:42:26which are banned in Europe.
0:42:26 > 0:42:31They could contain phthalates, which have got a risk of cancer
0:42:31 > 0:42:33and are banned from all products for children.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38There are dozens of packs of the loom bands for sale in this
0:42:38 > 0:42:42high street store, but these looms are doomed.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46For Graham Mogg, of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, it is
0:42:46 > 0:42:49important that decisive action is taken to make sure these products
0:42:49 > 0:42:51are off the street for good.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53It gives a clear message to retailers that sell
0:42:53 > 0:42:55counterfeit products that it won't be tolerated.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58From a brand's perspective, it shows that we will work...
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Private and public sectors working together is the way forward to try
0:43:01 > 0:43:04and tackle the problem. So it's a fantastic result.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11That is all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.