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.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Police! Move out the way!
0:00:20 > 0:00:22- Get down! Get down! - Get on the floor now.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Here at the Fake Britain house, things might look familiar,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30but don't be taken in
0:00:30 > 0:00:33because this is a house that's 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.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58Today, on Fake Britain,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01the fake bike helmets that won't keep you safe.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05This helmet could not have failed in a worse way.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09The counterfeit pesticides heading for UK farms.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11We actually don't know what's inside them.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14They might pose a health risk, they might be carcinogenic.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18The dodgy guitars that rock the music industry.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19I'd been duped.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Clearly the guitar was a fake.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24And the fake supermarket saving stamps
0:01:24 > 0:01:27that won't help you out on a rainy day.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30There is £1,000 on each one of these.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32There's nothing obvious on it that would say they're fake.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39Wearing a helmet
0:01:39 > 0:01:43when you're riding a bicycle might seem like good common sense.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46In some countries, such as Australia, it's now also the law,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48you have to wear one.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51A helmet might save your life in a crash.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53But this bike helmet is fake,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56it's a counterfeit of this one.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59It's dangerous and part of a growing industry
0:01:59 > 0:02:02where the fakers are trying to make money out of the success of cycling.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08With 19,000 cyclists injured or killed every year,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12wearing protective headgear is crucial for most riders.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18The Department Of Transport recently claimed bike helmets
0:02:18 > 0:02:22could prevent up to 16% of the fatalities on Britain's roads.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29But it seems the fakers are now riding on the back of the trend too.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33More worryingly, cyclists are buying counterfeit headgear
0:02:33 > 0:02:37thinking it offers protection when it may not...
0:02:37 > 0:02:39as Andrew McCreery discovered
0:02:39 > 0:02:43when he found a bike helmet, supposedly made by Giro, online.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49It was a product which I had already had for myself personally.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Seemed to be of good quality, seemed good value for money
0:02:53 > 0:02:54and it was just a brand
0:02:54 > 0:02:57which we had recognised as widely used in the cycling world,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00so we presumed that would probably be the safest bet.
0:03:03 > 0:03:04Andrew and his wife, Joanne,
0:03:04 > 0:03:09were training for a 130-mile cycle ride around Northern Ireland
0:03:09 > 0:03:13to raise money for charity, so they needed the right equipment.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18And this event was very personal for them.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23Tragically, in September 2012, we had a son who was stillborn.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Zach.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30He died just a few days before his due date
0:03:30 > 0:03:34and we wanted to do a cycle ride in his memory.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39The Giro helmet they'd found for this important bike ride
0:03:39 > 0:03:44was being sold by a third-party seller on Amazon for £35.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49We were saving £10-£15 in comparison to the retail stores,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52so we decided, well, let's give that a go.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54That's £10 extra for the charity.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Two weeks went by and the helmet hadn't arrived.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02When Andrew chased the Amazon seller,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04he was disturbed by what he discovered.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08We realised that, although it was a UK seller,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10it was a China dispatch,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12and we were informed that, in the small print,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15that it could be 3-4 weeks before we would expect delivery.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17So I suppose alarm bells started to ring at this stage.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23But, when the helmet arrived, Andrew had more reason to worry.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28The initial concern was the weight whenever we took the helmet
0:04:28 > 0:04:32out of the box that it seemed to be much lighter than other Giro helmets.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35It was seen to be a really light-foam quality
0:04:35 > 0:04:38with some type of cheap plastic veneer over the top of it
0:04:38 > 0:04:41which really wasn't meeting the edges in the correct places.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46We were absolutely adamant that this just shouldn't be used at all,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50that the only place this helmet was really fit to go was to the bin.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51And that's where he put it.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56The manufacturer Giro confirmed to Andrew that it was a fake
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and, eventually, he got his money back.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Amazon told us -
0:05:14 > 0:05:16They also said -
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Worryingly, though, the counterfeits are still out there.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27Fake Britain managed to buy another suspected fake Giro helmet
0:05:27 > 0:05:30very similar to the one Andrew bought
0:05:30 > 0:05:32from a totally different website.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38We took our suspected fake to INSPEC in Manchester.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41One of the UK's leading test houses for headgear,
0:05:41 > 0:05:45they've agreed to compare it to the original, genuine Giro product
0:05:45 > 0:05:49to see if the fake would pass European safety standards.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53If we compare the products, looking at the original,
0:05:53 > 0:05:58we have one design for the retention system adjustment
0:05:58 > 0:06:02and we have a very different design on the suspected fake.
0:06:02 > 0:06:08Similarly, for the side buckles, we have one design on the original
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and a different design on the suspected fake.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15At this point, that doesn't enable us to draw any conclusions
0:06:15 > 0:06:19but it's something that obviously the end user can look for
0:06:19 > 0:06:21if they're comparing the product.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Andrew and his team will run tests to check that the helmets
0:06:27 > 0:06:30comply with the legally-required European standard
0:06:30 > 0:06:33for bicycle headgear, EN 1078.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37To begin with, the genuine product
0:06:37 > 0:06:41will be put through its paces in a series of real-life scenarios.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Firstly, they'll measure its performance
0:06:45 > 0:06:48when dropped onto this anvil shaped like a kerbstone.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53The test simulates a head, in this case, hitting the kerbstone.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57The standard for the shock absorption test includes
0:06:57 > 0:07:00a maximum permitted acceleration of 250g.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03So for each of the impacts that we're going to perform,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05we'll be looking to make sure that the helmet
0:07:05 > 0:07:08gives a value which is lower than that maximum.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12OK, so let's see how the genuine Giro performs.
0:07:14 > 0:07:15CLATTERING
0:07:15 > 0:07:19And the result that we've got is 82.3g,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23which is well below the 250g limit specified by the standard.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Next up, how will the genuine product cope
0:07:26 > 0:07:28when hitting a flat, road-like surface?
0:07:34 > 0:07:37So we've got a result of 187.3g
0:07:37 > 0:07:41which is still well below the limit of 250g.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43That's good performance.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47So that's a pass, as expected, for our genuine Giro helmet.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Has the suspected fake got any chance of matching it?
0:07:56 > 0:07:58First up, it's the kerbstone test.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15That's a terrible result.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18As you can see from the helmet, it's actually split in two.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24The value that we've recorded is 1209.8g,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27many times the maximum permitted by the standard.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32That's nearly five times over the golden 250g safety limit.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36And, from Andrew, the news just gets worse.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Unfortunately that's also exceeded the maximum that we can record
0:08:40 > 0:08:42with our equipment, so the value could even be higher than that,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44which is terrible.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48I think we can be fairly confident that it is absolutely a fake and,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51in practice, that would result in a catastrophic injury for the wearer.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56The fake's failed so badly that it can't continue.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Normally we would be able to perform a second impact.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Clearly, in this case, we can't do that.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05The lab's test rig is also damaged.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09You can actually see where the kerbstone
0:09:09 > 0:09:11has hit straight onto the headform
0:09:11 > 0:09:14and put an indentation in the test headform.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17If that were somebody's skull, then that would not be very nice.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Should you have an accident, there would be
0:09:22 > 0:09:24potentially very, very serious consequences.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30So we took our results
0:09:30 > 0:09:33to one of Britain's leading brain injury centres,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37the National Hospital For Neurology And Neurosurgery in London.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43What does neurosurgeon Lewis Thorne
0:09:43 > 0:09:45think of the performance of the fake helmet?
0:09:46 > 0:09:50This has fractured at the side.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52You can just see that the ear would be in this space here,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and where this comes away here
0:09:55 > 0:09:56would expose the side of the head
0:09:56 > 0:09:59which is actually the thinnest part of the skull
0:09:59 > 0:10:01and most susceptible to fracture.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Lying underneath that area is one of the main arteries
0:10:04 > 0:10:05beneath the bone,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08and if that's damaged with a fracture of the skull,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11that'll cause high-pressure bleeding over the surface of the brain,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13rapidly putting pressure on the brain,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15and it's the kind of thing that,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19if it doesn't get urgent surgical treatment, is undoubtedly fatal.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21This helmet could not have failed in a worse way.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27And Lewis is shocked by the discovery of fake bike helmets
0:10:27 > 0:10:28like this on the market.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Brain injuries are devastating.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36They are the leading cause of death in young adults
0:10:36 > 0:10:40and, as far as I'm concerned, helmets save lives.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43And if you've got a helmet like this,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45that's not going to save your life.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49To find that people are prepared to put other people's lives at risk
0:10:49 > 0:10:53for the sake of a small profit is totally reprehensible.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Saving stamps have been around for years in the UK.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06As long ago as 1880, penny and postage stamps
0:11:06 > 0:11:09were bought by people for their Post Office savings accounts,
0:11:09 > 0:11:14and saving stamps are still sold in high-street stores and supermarkets.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Thousands of people collect them.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21The problem is the fakers have gone into the saving stamps business too.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28In these times of austerity, some supermarkets have reported
0:11:28 > 0:11:33a rise of up to 40% in people buying into their saving stamp schemes.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37When times are hard, people like to use them
0:11:37 > 0:11:39to save for their weekly food shop
0:11:39 > 0:11:42or for Christmas presents for the kids.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Money is tight for everyone, so
0:11:44 > 0:11:51if you can prepare yourself enough by using saving stamps, it helps.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55When you've got a young family, it's easier to put money away each week.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02The problem is that the fakers want a piece of the market too,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04as Nottinghamshire Police are about to find out.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09They're on the trail of counterfeit saver stamps
0:12:09 > 0:12:13from one of Britain's biggest supermarket chains - Morrisons.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17We're en route to Coventry.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21The Border Agency
0:12:21 > 0:12:28have intercepted a package of stamps to a value of £25,000.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Detective Constable Glenn Finbow
0:12:32 > 0:12:36suspects organised crime could be behind this hoard.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40I doubt this is a one-man operation or a one-person operation.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43One person can't go into a superstore
0:12:43 > 0:12:47and cash in £25,000 worth of stamps in one hit.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50It's got to be, potentially, nationwide.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56It seems the fakers are targeting saving stamps
0:12:56 > 0:12:58because they can be used like cash.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Unwitting shoppers have been duped into buying them too.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07One woman was recently arrested for trying to use fakes in Tesco.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Back at Coventry postal hub,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Nottinghamshire Police have taken delivery
0:13:15 > 0:13:18of £25,000 worth of saving stamps.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20So what do they make of them?
0:13:22 > 0:13:25We've seized this one package which has obviously...
0:13:25 > 0:13:27It's got Chinese writing on it.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30It's come from China to an address in Nottinghamshire.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35It seems the fakers are using cheap Chinese counterfeiters
0:13:35 > 0:13:38to do their dirty work and avoid UK law.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42But the arrival of this seemingly-innocuous parcel
0:13:42 > 0:13:43from the Far East
0:13:43 > 0:13:46raised suspicions at customs.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Border Force picked this up initially
0:13:48 > 0:13:52because it is such a small package for such a large supermarket chain
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and it's not actually going to any Morrisons store,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58it's going to the home address of someone else in Nottingham.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So it's back to base for Glenn and his colleagues
0:14:04 > 0:14:05with their counterfeit hoard.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Now they're out of the package, they can take a closer look
0:14:11 > 0:14:13alongside some genuine Morrisons saving stamps.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19These are forgeries, these are the originals.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- I'll tell you what, it's not bad, is it?- It's not bad at all.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25- It's very good. - That is a pretty good...
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Yeah, I wouldn't be able to tell. - Fake.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31So, Glenn and his colleagues are surprised by their quality.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35But, side-by-side, next to the genuine saving stamps,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37they have spotted some differences.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42- That's a darker yellow.- Yes. - A more golden colour.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45The genuine ones are slightly brighter yellow
0:14:45 > 0:14:48and the Morrisons logo behind it it's quite light on these
0:14:48 > 0:14:51and not quite as light on the fakes.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54And it's the same size, same perforation,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56the font sizes are the same.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59If someone gave me one of those, I would have no clue.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- There's nothing obvious on it that would say they're fake.- No.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05You could probably buy several flatscreen TVs
0:15:05 > 0:15:08with each of these small bundles.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11There's £1,000 on each one of these.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13They're all sequential numbering,
0:15:13 > 0:15:17starting at 3201, 3202, all the way through.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20And it ends in 4200.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24There's 1,000 numbers in this bundle.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26£1,000 worth of stamps.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30And if Border Force hadn't intercepted this small package,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Morrisons would have paid the price.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35If these went out into the open market
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and back into Morrisons, Morrisons would be £25,000 down.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45It turns out these aren't the only fakes that have been found.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Morrisons say that -
0:16:02 > 0:16:05They advise all customers that -
0:16:10 > 0:16:12But in the meantime, Glenn and his fellow officers
0:16:12 > 0:16:15will follow up the leads they have on the packaging.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19We've obtained a few more intelligence details
0:16:19 > 0:16:21off of the actual box itself.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24A couple of names, couple of addresses.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27We'll be doing some intelligence-led police work
0:16:27 > 0:16:29and see what avenue they lead us down.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35The police investigation is ongoing.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Earlier we saw how fake bike helmets on the market
0:16:46 > 0:16:49are putting lives in danger.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53If you've got a helmet like this, that's not going to save your life.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Well, Fake Britain has been alerted to another dodgy batch of helmets.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01This time heading for real bikers - motorcyclists.
0:17:02 > 0:17:0526 were recently seized by Trading Standards.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Today they've brought them
0:17:08 > 0:17:10to the British Standards Institution, or BSI,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14to see if they comply with European or British safety standards,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18as all motorcycle headgear must do under UK law.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23What we want to find out is whether these are safe or not,
0:17:23 > 0:17:27so BSI are carrying out some tests for us on the safety of the helmets
0:17:27 > 0:17:29and also on the safety of the visors themselves.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35The visor suggests it complies with European standards
0:17:35 > 0:17:40but lab manager Mark Mayo suspects this is a fake claim.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44The visor says that it's homologated to E22-05
0:17:44 > 0:17:49but it is not the correct terminology for that standard.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52So the makers can't even quote the correct standard,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56which should read ECE 22.05.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Nevertheless, the BSI is going to see
0:18:00 > 0:18:03if the claim made on this helmet is fake
0:18:03 > 0:18:06with a series of tests on the visor.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09The test we're going to show you now is the abrasion test.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11It's to simulate whether a visor is scratch...
0:18:11 > 0:18:14how scratch resistant it is and whether or not,
0:18:14 > 0:18:15over a period of time,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18the visor will still be able to be viewed through.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25As Trading Standards watch on, a square section is removed.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28This will now be subjected to the kind of wear and tear
0:18:28 > 0:18:31a motorcycle visor could get during its lifetime.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37We're going to drop sand on it which simulates particles
0:18:37 > 0:18:40hitting the visor when it's actually in use.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43We'll then see how much effect that has
0:18:43 > 0:18:46on the transparency of the visor.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53After 5kg of falling sand,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56the sample is taken to another lab for a diffusion test.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Here, a laser is aimed at the visor to measure the amount of light
0:19:01 > 0:19:04that gets through after the abrasion.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08The results were five times the limit, so that's a definite fail.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12What this means is that by the time the visor is coming towards
0:19:12 > 0:19:13the end of its life,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16the motorcyclist won't even be able to see through it properly
0:19:16 > 0:19:20and it is not... Basically not fit for purpose.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24So the claim that the visor meets the European standard is a fake.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28What do Trading Standards make of these results?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Well, I'm really disappointed. The helmet clearly doesn't perform.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34It doesn't look as though it's going to perform as it should
0:19:34 > 0:19:36which presents a worry for the wearer.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39You're not going to not have such good visibility,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41you may not necessarily realise that
0:19:41 > 0:19:44but a bit of light perhaps through a tree or off headlights
0:19:44 > 0:19:45can really cause some problems,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47so it really does concern me, these results.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53Next, the team from the BSI prepare a penetration test.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56This simulates how well the motorcycle visor
0:19:56 > 0:20:01can withstand the impact of a stone or other flying debris.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05We'll drop a mass from one metre,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07we hit the punch and that will penetrate the visor
0:20:07 > 0:20:09and depending on how far it goes through,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11determines whether it's a pass or a fail.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19There is a difference of 6mm penetration into the visor
0:20:19 > 0:20:23and the limit is 5mm, so this is a failure.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25So, on a second count,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28the claim that this visor meets European standards
0:20:28 > 0:20:29is proven to be a fake.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34For the final, most critical test,
0:20:34 > 0:20:38the BSI team is going to measure how well the helmet itself
0:20:38 > 0:20:42will protect the rider in the event of a crash.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46We're doing the impact on the helmet in three or four different places.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48This will simulate in a real-life accident
0:20:48 > 0:20:52someone coming off a motorbike and hitting in different orientations
0:20:52 > 0:20:53as part of the accident.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03This is one of the impact tests it has to pass
0:21:03 > 0:21:05to meet the European standard.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08So will it be third time lucky?
0:21:15 > 0:21:20The impact energy is 975g which is a massive impact.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23It's over three times the limit, it's actually off the scale.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28That's brain injury, definitely.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34So this helmet's catastrophically failed the European standards.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37And there's worse news for the visor.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41The visor's cracked in half but could quite easily have shattered
0:21:41 > 0:21:45into more pieces, which could have caused serious eye injuries.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50And now, the next impact test.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Wow.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05That helmet has split...
0:22:06 > 0:22:07..completely in half now.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12It's a very bad result and certainly wouldn't meet
0:22:12 > 0:22:15any of the requirements that we've ever tested to.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Usually at this point, the BSI would continue with further tests
0:22:20 > 0:22:24but this failure is clearly in no fit state to carry on.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Trading Standards have been warning bikers about the dangers
0:22:27 > 0:22:31of buying helmets that don't meet legal safety standards.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33Their investigation continues.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38I would be concerned for anyone who is going to be wearing this helmet.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41The worst thing is they think they're protecting themselves
0:22:41 > 0:22:42by wearing a helmet
0:22:42 > 0:22:46and it's barely going to provide any protection whatsoever.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Pesticides are often used to help grow the food we eat.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57They're regulated and tested.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01And the residues that remain on the food when we buy it are monitored.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04But even then, it's a controversial subject.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07So, it's been alarming for Fake Britain to discover
0:23:07 > 0:23:12that potentially-dangerous fake pesticides are in circulation.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Experts tell us that the worldwide trade
0:23:14 > 0:23:17in counterfeit and illegal pesticides
0:23:17 > 0:23:21is said to be worth around a massive £4 billion,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25and UK farms could be on the counterfeiters' hit list.
0:23:29 > 0:23:30This is Felixstowe Port
0:23:30 > 0:23:34where Border Force have made a shocking discovery of counterfeits.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Not the usual fake perfume or children's toys...
0:23:39 > 0:23:42These are fake pesticides,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44and they're potentially hazardous chemicals.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Well, the consignment originated in China
0:23:48 > 0:23:53and it's been imported into the UK.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58The products themselves are generally used in pesticides which would
0:23:58 > 0:24:02typically be in something like this designed for agricultural use
0:24:02 > 0:24:03rather than retail sale.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Acetamiprid is an insecticide and was developed in Japan.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14The Japanese manufacturer has told Border Force that this
0:24:14 > 0:24:17consignment must be counterfeit
0:24:17 > 0:24:21because it's arrived from China, outside the usual supply chain.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25The packaging is blank because it's probably going to be used
0:24:25 > 0:24:29in some sort of further manufacturing or packaging process
0:24:29 > 0:24:30somewhere in the UK.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32But because it's counterfeit,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35we don't know where that manufacturing will take place
0:24:35 > 0:24:37or that repackaging or relabeling.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39And then what will happen to it after that?
0:24:42 > 0:24:44The genuine acetamiprid
0:24:44 > 0:24:48is used to destroy aphids like blackfly and greenfly
0:24:48 > 0:24:51which suck the sap from young plants and damage crops.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56This insecticide is approved for use on fruit and vegetables
0:24:56 > 0:25:00that we all buy, like apples, lettuce and potatoes.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Although acetamiprid is not widely used throughout
0:25:07 > 0:25:09the UK's farming industry,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12researchers at Harper Adams University in Gloucestershire
0:25:12 > 0:25:15have been monitoring other fake pesticides
0:25:15 > 0:25:18that have entered Europe from elsewhere.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24Somewhere between 5% and 7% of the pesticides being used in the UK
0:25:24 > 0:25:26are likely to be illegal and,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29again, a proportion of those will be counterfeits.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Certainly, the manufacturers of these illicit products
0:25:34 > 0:25:35are becoming smarter.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39They are producing product that is increasingly more likely
0:25:39 > 0:25:41to fool the authorities.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Like any counterfeit products,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49the worry for experts like Chris Sambrook and Dr Richard Byrne
0:25:49 > 0:25:52is not knowing what hazardous chemicals are contained
0:25:52 > 0:25:53within the fakes.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59A manufactured pesticide is gone through years of testing,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02years of investment, it's regulated, it's...
0:26:02 > 0:26:04We know how it behaves in the environment.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09The real problem with these counterfeit pesticides
0:26:09 > 0:26:11is that they might be carcinogenic.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15They might accrue in the soil system, they might pollute watercourses,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18they might pose a health risk to the operators.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24Rural crime these days goes way beyond the theft of the odd tractor.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Organised criminals are behind the counterfeit pesticides
0:26:27 > 0:26:29that are targeting the farming industry
0:26:29 > 0:26:30and the food they produce for us.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34There's a lot of resources involved in this.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36You need premises, you need chemical equipment,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38you need a chemist.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41This is not something that you can make up from items
0:26:41 > 0:26:46at your local DIY store, so this is a laboratory-based chemical process.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It's a very sophisticated and very high-level investment,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50but it's one with high rewards.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55The costs of fake pesticides affecting the food we eat
0:26:55 > 0:26:58are potentially high for everyone.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00There is a potential for these...
0:27:00 > 0:27:03for the residue from these products which again are untested,
0:27:03 > 0:27:04getting into the food chain
0:27:04 > 0:27:08and having a long-term impact as a consequence of that.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11If it's a fake product that's being used,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14sprayed onto vegetables or fruit,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17I think the risk there is likely to be somewhat greater,
0:27:17 > 0:27:21simply because the residues have a greater potential
0:27:21 > 0:27:23to get into the food chain because they won't have had time
0:27:23 > 0:27:27to dissipate, and I think anything that's certainly sprayed onto
0:27:27 > 0:27:30a fruit crop would be a worry.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37For people like Robert Young, whose family has been farming food crops
0:27:37 > 0:27:40for generations, that's the concern.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Even though he's never encountered fake pesticides,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48news of attempts to bring them into the UK is a worry.
0:27:50 > 0:27:51I think that's very disturbing.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55All our crops are grown to farm assurance standards
0:27:55 > 0:27:58for human consumption and we have to guarantee
0:27:58 > 0:28:02that no adverse pesticides are used on them.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07It could put something toxic in that would make it unsalable
0:28:07 > 0:28:10and then the crop would be unmarketable,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13so there's a huge financial risk.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16And if you've got a fake pesticide,
0:28:16 > 0:28:20then you don't know the ultimate consequences that will happen.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Pesticide usage in the UK
0:28:23 > 0:28:27is one of the most highly regulated in the world.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28All chemicals have to be tested
0:28:28 > 0:28:31and approved by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Many farmers like Robert use certified suppliers,
0:28:36 > 0:28:41an adviser or agronomist to suggest which pesticides to use,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44and he has to record when he sprays them.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49But with companies allowed to source pesticides from elsewhere in Europe,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51the danger is if the fakes get into the system
0:28:51 > 0:28:54at a weaker point in the chain.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56The biggest risk would be
0:28:56 > 0:29:00if distributors got something unwittingly and passed it on
0:29:00 > 0:29:04to the farmers, and I think that is the bit that...have to be cautious.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Europol estimate that up to 25% of pesticides
0:29:11 > 0:29:14in some European countries have been sourced illegally.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Organisations including the National Farmers Union
0:29:21 > 0:29:23have set up the 'Watch Out!' campaign
0:29:23 > 0:29:25to help farmers spot the counterfeits.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31The industry take the use of pesticides extremely seriously.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35Consumer confidence is absolutely paramount to our industry.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37We've seen that there's a problem over in Europe
0:29:37 > 0:29:39but we want to make sure it doesn't become one here.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Back at the port of Felixstowe,
0:29:43 > 0:29:47for these fake pesticides, there's only one destination.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50The safest thing for us to do is to just destroy them
0:29:50 > 0:29:54and make sure they're out of harm's way for good.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57Without the Border Force,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00these could have been heading to a field near you.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Vintage guitars can be highly collectable and very valuable.
0:30:19 > 0:30:25This 1964 Fender Stratocaster is worth £16,000.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27That's cos it's 50 years old, and the Stratocaster
0:30:27 > 0:30:31is the instrument of choice for nearly every famous rock star
0:30:31 > 0:30:32we've ever heard of.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37If a rock legend had owned this one, it would be worth £116,000.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40The problem is telling the real from the fake
0:30:40 > 0:30:43in the world of vintage guitars, it's not easy.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47I mean, your guitar could be a Clapton but, then again,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49it could just be clapped out.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Not only do they look incredibly cool,
0:31:02 > 0:31:06electric guitars from the '60s that legends like the Voodoo Child
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Jimi Hendrix played are now valuable as antiques or even works of art.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16One of Hendrix's sold recently for
0:31:16 > 0:31:19a quarter of a million pounds at auction.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24But now the fakers have worked this out
0:31:24 > 0:31:26and they know there are profits to be made
0:31:26 > 0:31:27in the vintage guitar market.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32As dealer David Pym discovered.
0:31:32 > 0:31:38When he found a '64 Stratocaster on sale online for £8,000.
0:31:39 > 0:31:44I just thought it looked very tempting being a 1964 Stratocaster.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50It did have quite a lot of dings and dongs on the body
0:31:50 > 0:31:53but that doesn't really matter with some guitars.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57So it looked like a good item for me to purchase
0:31:57 > 0:32:01to marry into my existing stock of Stratocasters.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06The '64 Fender was being sold by a company with stores
0:32:06 > 0:32:09across the UK called Music Ground.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14Its owners, father and son duo, Rick and Justin Harrison
0:32:14 > 0:32:17had built up a successful multi-million-pound guitar empire
0:32:17 > 0:32:19from their base in Yorkshire.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24They'd rubbed shoulders with rock legends like Bryan Adams.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27David phoned Justin Harrison
0:32:27 > 0:32:30to find out more about the Fender he had up for sale.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34He said it was a very good, honest guitar,
0:32:34 > 0:32:40so I decided to go for it because it seemed like a good buy.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45But when the guitar arrived,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47it didn't quite hit the right chord with its new owner.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50I wasn't really happy with it.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53It felt wrong to me in terms of the neck.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56The neck didn't suit the neck pocket correctly.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01David suspected that the neck on his vintage Fender
0:33:01 > 0:33:03was not an original part.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06It turned out his guitar
0:33:06 > 0:33:10and a number of others would soon be investigated by the authorities.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Vintage guitars worth one million euros
0:33:14 > 0:33:18had been stolen from a shop in Italy the previous year.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21And several of these eventually turned up
0:33:21 > 0:33:23in Music Ground's Leeds store.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Detective Chris Lord was investigating this
0:33:27 > 0:33:30for West Yorkshire Police.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34It was an extremely long, protracted inquiry
0:33:34 > 0:33:37that spanned four-plus years ultimately.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Inquiries soon lead Detective Chris Lord
0:33:43 > 0:33:47to David Pym's Fender that he'd bought from Music Ground.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51It was up the sale on David Pym's website but he'd failed to sell it
0:33:51 > 0:33:54when he told customers of his concerns about the neck.
0:33:56 > 0:34:02Police told David the shocking news that they believed it was stolen.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05I handed over the guitar and that's the last time I saw it, I'm afraid.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12I'd been duped and it's very upsetting.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18And David's initial suspicions about his guitar neck
0:34:18 > 0:34:21turned out to be well founded.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26Forensic imaging revealed it was taken from a second stolen guitar.
0:34:26 > 0:34:31This 1964 Fender was a cut and shut,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34made up of two different instruments.
0:34:34 > 0:34:39The neck of the guitar is taken from one of the stolen
0:34:39 > 0:34:421964 Sea Foam Green Fender Stratocasters.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45If we look at the original photograph,
0:34:45 > 0:34:48prior to the guitar being stolen,
0:34:48 > 0:34:51these marks are exactly the same as the one we've recovered.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55The body of the guitar is taken
0:34:55 > 0:34:59from a 1966 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03And the markings on the body tie up to the photograph
0:35:03 > 0:35:05of the stolen Fender Strat.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Now, these markings are essentially like a fingerprint
0:35:09 > 0:35:14because these markings have naturally occurred over decades.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17So why have fakers created this instrument
0:35:17 > 0:35:19out of two stolen guitars?
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Purely to hide the identity and integrity
0:35:24 > 0:35:29of the original stolen guitar in a view of fraudulently passing this on
0:35:29 > 0:35:31to some innocent buyer.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35And the serial plate that uniquely identifies every Fender
0:35:35 > 0:35:36appeared to be false.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41The number couldn't be traced.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45This particular neck plate is clearly put there in a further
0:35:45 > 0:35:48attempt to hide the identity of this particular instrument.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55The trail of this cut and shut fake started in Verona.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01The two stolen guitars were owned by Pierpaolo Adda
0:36:01 > 0:36:04and it was his store that was burgled,
0:36:04 > 0:36:08with thieves making off with more than 150 instruments.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11This is the window...
0:36:14 > 0:36:16..through which the thieves entered...
0:36:17 > 0:36:19..and steal my guitars.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21The best part of my collection.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25All guitars given to me by famous guitarists from all over the world.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29The two guitars used to make the cut and shut
0:36:29 > 0:36:34Pierpaolo believes were worth a total of £35,000.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38But the resulting instrument that was returned to him
0:36:38 > 0:36:41he estimates is now only worth a fifth of that.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45They have destroyed two beautiful guitars.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48They have created a Frankenstein monster.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Pierpaolo uncovered more of his stolen guitars
0:36:54 > 0:36:56on the Music Ground website.
0:36:58 > 0:37:03This 1971 Les Paul Sunburst had also been subjected to fakery
0:37:03 > 0:37:05to hide its true identity.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09They're a fake serial number.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13The original one has been scratched.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16A new serial number has been embossed.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19But to expert eyes like Pierpaolo's,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22the age of the finish reveals its dark secret.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25If you look carefully,
0:37:25 > 0:37:29there is a difference between this part, I mean the neck,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32and the upper part - the peg end.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37This is opaque, you can see because it is other....other finish,
0:37:37 > 0:37:3940 years old.
0:37:40 > 0:37:45This is more shining because it's a newer finish,
0:37:45 > 0:37:46five years old probably.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52The Les Paul has since been returned to Pierpaolo.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56He estimates it was originally worth around £4,000.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59But after the fakers got their hands on it,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Pierpaolo believes the botched paintwork has halved its value.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06A guitar is a piece of art.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09How can you destroy it just to make money?
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Although there's no evidence that Music Ground was involved
0:38:15 > 0:38:18in the theft or the fakery, this wasn't the first time
0:38:18 > 0:38:22that the company had been accused of selling fake guitars.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Justin Harrison had offered Fender enthusiast Dave
0:38:27 > 0:38:31what was described as a 1964 Candy Apple Red Telecaster.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37We agreed a purchase price of £17,000.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Sounds a lot of money but it is quite a rare instrument.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43After paying up, it took over six months
0:38:43 > 0:38:47for Dave's Candy Apple Red Fender to arrive from Music Ground.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Externally it looked fine.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54It looked to be what it was supposed to be.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00But when Dave dismantled his new vintage 1964 Fender
0:39:00 > 0:39:04to replace a small part, he was shocked by what he found.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07It was fairly evident that,
0:39:07 > 0:39:12when you actually stuck your nose into the small cavities,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16that the paint there actually smelt of being new paint which, clearly,
0:39:16 > 0:39:21for a guitar that was supposedly manufactured in 1964
0:39:21 > 0:39:23shouldn't have been the case.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26So the Candy Apple Red finish that made Dave's Fender
0:39:26 > 0:39:29so rare was potentially fake.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34He had the guitar examined by two vintage experts.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37David Pym was one of them.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39I could smell the paint,
0:39:39 > 0:39:43and that is fatal for a 1964 original finish.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45You wouldn't be able to smell the paint at all.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48It would have no smell other than just a mustiness.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50I did have a glance at the parts on it
0:39:50 > 0:39:54and I assumed that the whole thing was put together
0:39:54 > 0:39:59and manufactured to sell for a big profit.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03The experts confirmed Dave's worst fears.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Clearly the guitar was a fake.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11It was not original...
0:40:12 > 0:40:14..in any way, shape or form
0:40:14 > 0:40:20and it certainly appeared that it had been deliberately built to deceive.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Armed with this evidence,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Dave went back to Justin Harrison at Music Ground.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30After Harrison dismantled his Fender,
0:40:30 > 0:40:35he agreed it wasn't original and refunded Dave £17,000.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42Music Ground told us that they purchased the Fender Telecaster
0:40:42 > 0:40:43from a dealer in the United States.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52When it was discovered that it wasn't original, they say
0:40:52 > 0:40:53they provided a full refund.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57They say they've -
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Richard and Justin Harrison were eventually charged
0:41:04 > 0:41:06with handling stolen goods
0:41:06 > 0:41:09in relation to the guitar theft in Verona.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13At Leeds Crown Court, Richard Harrison pleaded guilty
0:41:13 > 0:41:15to one count of handling ten stolen guitars
0:41:15 > 0:41:19and received a 12-month suspended sentence.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22His son Justin pleaded guilty to two counts
0:41:22 > 0:41:23of handling a stolen guitar
0:41:23 > 0:41:27and received a six-month suspended sentence.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Both men said in court that they were unaware that the guitars
0:41:30 > 0:41:32were stolen when they acquired them.
0:41:32 > 0:41:37The danger is new, young people coming to the fore,
0:41:37 > 0:41:42wanting to learn to play a guitar, wanting to copy their hero...
0:41:43 > 0:41:46..buying a guitar and not getting the right product.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54There haven't just been problems in the vintage market.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Guitarist Magazine's resident expert David Burlock
0:41:58 > 0:42:00warns of modern fakes in circulation,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03particularly on the internet.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06We've certainly heard of incidences where more contemporary
0:42:06 > 0:42:09instruments are being cloned, if you want.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14There's lots of these things, you know, coming from China
0:42:14 > 0:42:17and the problem simply comes
0:42:17 > 0:42:22when the consumer thinks they're buying a new Ibanez guitar
0:42:22 > 0:42:26or a new Gibson and it's made in a hurry in China.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29And of course once you've paid your money,
0:42:29 > 0:42:31it's not always easy to get it back.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36He has wise words for anyone thinking about buying an instrument.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40I think it's exactly the same as buying a car, you know,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43you don't just go to a garage and say, "I'll have that one."
0:42:44 > 0:42:46You know, you research.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Why would you buy a musical instrument without playing it?
0:42:50 > 0:42:54Be careful, do your homework, get a second opinion.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.