0:00:03 > 0:00:07Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Get down! Get down! Get on the floor, now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Your hands behind your back, now!
0:00:26 > 0:00:27It's just an ordinary house.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It could be anywhere in the country,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34but this is the Fake Britain house, and it's filled with fakes.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38You may not know it, but your home could be, too.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41In this series, we'll be investigating the criminals
0:00:41 > 0:00:46trying to get their hands on your cash by using fraud,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48forgeries, and fakery.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51And I'll be showing you how you can avoid being taken for a ride.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58Today, on Fake Britain, the crooks using fake cards to buy fuel,
0:00:58 > 0:01:00and then putting lives at risk.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Well, if that van was travelling on this road
0:01:03 > 0:01:05and you had a source of ignition, you would have
0:01:05 > 0:01:07a major chemical fire,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09and would probably bring this part of London to a halt.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13The trade in fake cancer drugs,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15and the fight to bring the criminals to justice.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17They think they're above law enforcement attention,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19I can tell you that they're not.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23The fake references on sale online.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25It's actually quite shocking that somebody
0:01:25 > 0:01:27is able to falsify their career.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31And the dog with a nose for fake tobacco.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33That's what we're after.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Yes, good boy!
0:01:42 > 0:01:47Here in the UK, thousands of companies use these - fuel cards.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51Their employees use them to buy fuel at petrol stations
0:01:51 > 0:01:55and then the company that the card is registered to is billed directly.
0:01:55 > 0:01:56It's big business,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00with millions of pounds being spent on these cards every year.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04And, unsurprisingly, they're a target for the fakers.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07What's more of a surprise, though,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09is that it's you and your car that could lose out.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Previously on Fake Britain, we've seen criminals manufacturing
0:02:16 > 0:02:22fake credit cards, but evidence is now emerging of a new card scam,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26one targeting corporate fuel cards and putting innocent lives at risk.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35City of London Police were alerted to this disturbing new trend
0:02:35 > 0:02:39when a fuel card company contacted them to report unexplained
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and substantial spending on customer accounts.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Thousands of litres of fuel were being stolen every week.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Police quickly established that while the account numbers were genuine,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56the actual cards themselves were fake.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59John Unsworth is Head of Intelligence for
0:02:59 > 0:03:03the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau of the City of London Police.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06They were getting hold of people's actual numbers
0:03:06 > 0:03:08by doing shoulder surfing or by having people working
0:03:08 > 0:03:11in the garages that were actually double swiping
0:03:11 > 0:03:12and taking the details.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15And then it's simply a case of pressing them numbers
0:03:15 > 0:03:17onto the plastic cards and moving it from there.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22And a card number could be stolen
0:03:22 > 0:03:23and faked in minutes.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28There's instances of people paying correctly for their fuel
0:03:28 > 0:03:31and within minutes, their card being compromised because somebody's
0:03:31 > 0:03:34captured the numbers, e-mailed it -
0:03:34 > 0:03:37using their smartphones - to a colleague
0:03:37 > 0:03:39that's miles and miles away, they've printed it onto a card,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42and then they've dished it out and gone out and used it.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Within the information the fuel card company had passed
0:03:46 > 0:03:49to City of London Police were a multitude of leads.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55We had the information that was saying where cards were being used,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57we looked at CCTV to see who the people were
0:03:57 > 0:04:00that were using them there, we're then able to look at
0:04:00 > 0:04:04vehicle number plates and actually trace it back from there.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10It was clear that this was organised crime being carried out
0:04:10 > 0:04:11on a grand scale.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It turned out all of the vehicles were white vans,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17most of which were registered to hire companies.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21They're your run-of-the-mill Ford Transit-type vehicle.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25What they looked for was a vehicle
0:04:25 > 0:04:28that had a sliding door that was next to
0:04:28 > 0:04:30the petrol filler, so that when they pulled up
0:04:30 > 0:04:33into a garage, they could slide open the door
0:04:33 > 0:04:34and not be seen filling up.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39But it was the huge quantities of fuel inside the vans
0:04:39 > 0:04:41that alarmed the authorities.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44What they had was lots of plastic containers,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46which they literally just used to fill up.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49So to anybody watching, it doesn't look suspicious,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52it looks like there's somebody stood next to the petrol pump
0:04:52 > 0:04:54filling up the petrol.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58It's a ticking time bomb. What you've got is a van full of fuel
0:04:58 > 0:05:01sloshing around in the back of it.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Now, there's a reason that fuel is transported in a regulated way.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08It's because it's hazardous, it's flammable, it's dangerous.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Being in the back of a transit van
0:05:10 > 0:05:11is not a safe way of transporting it.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16We asked Roger Bibbings,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents,
0:05:19 > 0:05:23to assess the dangers inherent in transporting fuel this way.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Well, if that van was travelling on this road
0:05:26 > 0:05:27and there was an incident,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30and you only had a small loss of containment,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32and you had a source of ignition,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35you would have a major chemical fire.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39A major explosion. Far bigger than a car fire involving petrol...
0:05:39 > 0:05:41perhaps 10, 50 times bigger.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44A major chemical incident that would do massive damage
0:05:44 > 0:05:47to people roundabout and would probably bring
0:05:47 > 0:05:49this part of London to a halt.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53With a threat to public safety on this scale,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57the police needed to build their case quickly.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00They spent several weeks following suspects and gathering evidence.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Soon, they established that the gang was based in London,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07but would target filling stations outside the M25.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13The fuel-laden vans, nicknamed "Molotov motors",
0:06:13 > 0:06:17were clocking up thousands of miles every week.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Police suspected that the fuel being stolen
0:06:19 > 0:06:21was destined for the black market.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27It was time to take these fakers off the roads.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30With innocent customers
0:06:30 > 0:06:33unaware of what's happening,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36the undercover police officers allow the offender
0:06:36 > 0:06:38to pay with his fake fuel card.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43But as he leaves, he's grabbed and taken out of sight.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49A second police team then swoops encircles and arrests his accomplice.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Fake Britain spoke to one former gang member who now regrets
0:06:55 > 0:06:58ever getting involved in criminal activity.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01For his protection, we've disguised his identity.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07We started by asking him where the gang would travel to
0:07:07 > 0:07:08in order to steal the fuel.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12We use all the motorways. We go all over the UK.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16One day, we go to Milton Keynes, the next day, Nottingham.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20We go to Swindon, Bristol, Coventry. We go everywhere.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23He told us about the industrial scale of the operation.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29On a normal day, we'd get around 1,500 litres of fuel.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32So imagine that there were five of us on the roads.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34That's nearly 7,500 litres.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40These vast quantities of fuel were transported back to a lockup garage
0:07:40 > 0:07:42in a residential estate in West London.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46The garage is now in new ownership, unconnected with the crime.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51We asked Roger Bibbings to look at one of the main locations
0:07:51 > 0:07:53where the fuel was stored.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56I think this is just incredible.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59I mean, that amount of fuel stored here in a garage,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01in a lockup underneath somebody's flat,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04so they don't even know it's there, the level of danger
0:08:04 > 0:08:08is absolutely incredible, and it's just amazing that the people
0:08:08 > 0:08:10who are handling this stuff don't recognise that.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13And police photos taken immediately after the raid
0:08:13 > 0:08:16reveal the conditions in which the fuel was kept.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20If you look here at the shot of this garage - absolute chaos.
0:08:20 > 0:08:25Tyres, equipment, everything thrown in on top of one another.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27The absolute opposite of safety.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31They even seem to be using some kind of pump for dispensing this stuff,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34which certainly isn't approved for flammable liquids.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39We also asked Roger about the risks
0:08:39 > 0:08:41the criminals were exposing themselves to.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45The guys who are driving these vans
0:08:45 > 0:08:48are freely playing Russian roulette with their health.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51A little bit of petrol vapour, such as you and I might smell
0:08:51 > 0:08:54at the petrol station, that's really no consequence at all.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57But to drive for eight hours a day, for example,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00in a van like this with leaking petrol vapour, exposing yourself
0:09:00 > 0:09:03to high concentrations, you're going to get problems
0:09:03 > 0:09:06with your nervous system, headaches, liver damage even.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08And remember, petrol contains benzene,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10which is a cancer-causing agent,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12so you could end up with something like leukaemia.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16The former gang member we spoke to claims
0:09:16 > 0:09:21he started feeling ill as soon as he began working for the gang.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Every day, we smelt of fuel. Our shoes, our jackets.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26And when we had all the fuel in the van,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30we got really bad headaches almost every single day.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33If I eat something, I need to go to the toilet straightaway.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I had bad heartburn, things weren't right with me internally.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41The gang behind the fake fuel card scam was selling
0:09:41 > 0:09:44the fuel on the black market.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47The fuel would be sold to minicab drivers
0:09:47 > 0:09:49or roadside recovery drivers.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54But incredibly, innocent motorists may also have unwittingly bought it.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56They have their own petrol stations
0:09:56 > 0:09:57and they're using this petrol
0:09:57 > 0:10:00to actually go and fill the tanks up at those stations
0:10:00 > 0:10:02and sell it to general members of the public.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06The fuel would be taken to petrol stations' employees.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08They would buy the fuel at a discount,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10maybe 90p or ?1 a litre.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14So, motorists have been sold fuel
0:10:14 > 0:10:16stored in conditions like this.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20When fuel - whether it's diesel or petrol - is kept in warm,
0:10:20 > 0:10:26uncontrolled environments, such as this lockup, condensation is created.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30The fuel can start to turn cloudy and, in extreme cases,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32bacteria can start to breed.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38We asked Tony Sweetland, a chemist specialising in fuel analysis,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41what damage this condensation can do to a car engine.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Water in a diesel can reduce the power output of the engine
0:10:47 > 0:10:50or cause stuttering and things like that, simply because
0:10:50 > 0:10:53the injectors all get clogged with the water,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56so enough fuel isn't going into the engine.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00It can also cause problems with the injectors being clogged as well,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04if there's bacteria present within the fuel, as well.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08And longer term, it may lead to corrosion issues on the fuel system
0:11:08 > 0:11:12because the water will obviously start to corrode through
0:11:12 > 0:11:14the metal pipes within the engine.
0:11:17 > 0:11:18Many of the London-based
0:11:18 > 0:11:21gang of fuel fakers have now been convicted,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23but in the course of their investigation,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27the police have become aware of other gangs developing
0:11:27 > 0:11:30better disguised vehicles, capable of storing
0:11:30 > 0:11:32even larger quantities of fuel.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36The diagram we've got here actually shows how the criminals
0:11:36 > 0:11:38have moved on, how they've
0:11:38 > 0:11:39moved away from using
0:11:39 > 0:11:40plastic containers
0:11:40 > 0:11:42and the side of the transit vans
0:11:42 > 0:11:44into a much bigger operation.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46You can see, when you look at it,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48the size of the van that they're now using, you can see that
0:11:48 > 0:11:50they're not going straight into the container.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53They're using the correct procedures to fill it up.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55But what's really happening is,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57the fuel is being diverted into containers
0:11:57 > 0:11:58that are in the back of the van.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02But while the criminals might be getting more sophisticated,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04the police are aware of their plans,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06and they have a warning...
0:12:06 > 0:12:07You will get caught.
0:12:07 > 0:12:12No matter how victimless you, as an offender, think it is,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14we will come after you.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22It's a competitive job market out there right now.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25In some cases, there are hundreds of applicants
0:12:25 > 0:12:27applying for a single position.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Often, the difference between success and failure can be one of these.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34A good reference. But this one is a fake.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Cooked up online for a fee by fraudsters.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Fake Britain has discovered that the business of supplying fake references
0:12:42 > 0:12:45is now huge, and that British businesses are being
0:12:45 > 0:12:49routinely targeted. That means thousands of jobs are going to
0:12:49 > 0:12:53the wrong people, and the right candidates are losing out.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Fake Britain wanted to establish just how widespread
0:12:59 > 0:13:03the use of fake references by job applicants is.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08So we teamed up with the Federation of Small Businesses to carry out
0:13:08 > 0:13:13the most extensive independent survey ever undertaken in the UK
0:13:13 > 0:13:14into the use of fake references.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Over 1,800 employers responded.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23And for Mike Cherry, Policy Chairman of the FSB,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26the results made for interesting reading.
0:13:26 > 0:13:3117% had actually found that some of their employees,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34particularly those at mid-level, had provided fake references.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39And of that 17% of companies,
0:13:39 > 0:13:416% had received fake references
0:13:41 > 0:13:43on more than one occasion.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48But as our survey proves, many employers don't check references,
0:13:48 > 0:13:53so the true figure is likely to be even higher than 17%.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Surprisingly, the survey also revealed
0:13:55 > 0:13:59men are twice as likely as women to fake a reference.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Well, that was an interesting point that really came out
0:14:03 > 0:14:05very, very strongly, I think nearly three-quarters,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08so that is certainly an interesting one
0:14:08 > 0:14:10that we'd never picked up on before.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13And the fakers are applying for jobs
0:14:13 > 0:14:16across the employment spectrum.
0:14:16 > 0:14:2040% of the fakers applied for entry-level positions,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23and the same number applied for mid-management roles.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26But there's trouble at the top, too.
0:14:26 > 0:14:3112% of the fake applications were for management roles.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34And 2% were for roles as a company director.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36I think that's a very worrying trend, going forward.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41You've seen it in the media in the past, where some fairly high flyers,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44so to speak, have actually falsified their CV
0:14:44 > 0:14:47or their job experience in some way.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54The survey also asked members about a disturbing new trend.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59A number of websites now offer to provide fake references.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02They promised to provide unwitting employees with glowing references
0:15:02 > 0:15:05for fake candidates.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07The employer can even call a number,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09where he or she will speak to a genuine-sounding
0:15:09 > 0:15:11human resources officer.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Now, of the small business owners
0:15:15 > 0:15:18the Federation of Small Business surveyed,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21over 70% weren't aware that
0:15:21 > 0:15:23online fakers like this lot
0:15:23 > 0:15:26are out there. It's of concern to Mike Cherry.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31Potentially, it can be very damaging indeed, because if you actually
0:15:31 > 0:15:34take someone on who you believe has got that skill set,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36and then it's proven that they haven't,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39you've still got the raft of employment legislation
0:15:39 > 0:15:41that you have to comply with.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44And if you don't find it out till sometime down the line,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46you could have some real problems on your hands.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51One of these sites, The Reference Store,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54boasts how its fake reference service has hoodwinked
0:15:54 > 0:15:58numerous companies into offering jobs to its clients.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Fake Britain informed one of these companies - The London Taxi Company,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06which sells and leases black cabs - about the testimonials page.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Graham Jones, the company's HR Director,
0:16:10 > 0:16:16was incensed to see his company name on the testimonials page.
0:16:16 > 0:16:17I felt annoyed.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20I mean, we're proud of the company that we work for,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23we're proud of what we make, we're recognised the world over,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26and then somebody belittling the company by claiming that somebody
0:16:26 > 0:16:30could be fraudulently recruited, that they've got the skills
0:16:30 > 0:16:31to match the people that we've got now,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33I think that was just ridiculous, really.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35As soon as Fake Britain
0:16:35 > 0:16:38made The London Taxi Company aware of the claim that
0:16:38 > 0:16:41The Reference Store had supplied a fake reference
0:16:41 > 0:16:43for one of their employees, Graham took action.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47He ran checks on all the company's current staff.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50They're satisfied none of their staff have been employed
0:16:50 > 0:16:53on a fake reference, and they've stepped up their controls.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57We will verify the company, we will check a website,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59we will pick up a registered address,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02we will contact Companies House to make sure that company is valid.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04We do a postal check as well,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06to make sure the company is located where it should be.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Now, while it appears that some of the testimonials
0:17:11 > 0:17:13on The Reference Store's website are fake,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16how convincing are the fake references
0:17:16 > 0:17:18that these companies are offering?
0:17:18 > 0:17:21Fake Britain decided to find out.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24We used another website - The Fake Reference Service -
0:17:24 > 0:17:26to order a fake reference for a janitor
0:17:26 > 0:17:28looking for employment in a school.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33Surely the fakers wouldn't provide references for an employee
0:17:33 > 0:17:36working with children or teenagers?
0:17:36 > 0:17:3924 hours later, the fakers e-mailed to say they'd be happy
0:17:39 > 0:17:41to supply us with a fake reference.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47For just $190, or ?115, the company promised to provide us
0:17:47 > 0:17:50with a fake reference.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53They also told us they would build us a bespoke website
0:17:53 > 0:17:56for a fictional school, in order to make our fake reference
0:17:56 > 0:17:57all the more convincing.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Bill Andrews runs an accredited teacher recruitment agency in London.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08We asked him to look at the website the fakers had built for us.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12The organisation has gone to great lengths to put this website together
0:18:12 > 0:18:14to give it more credibility.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Not only does it have a home page,
0:18:17 > 0:18:22it also has detailed 50 years' worth of history
0:18:22 > 0:18:24about this particular school.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27It details the families that it serves,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30it details what its history is,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34its links to other organisations and universities.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37There is information from everything from nursery
0:18:37 > 0:18:41through primary and secondary education that is provided
0:18:41 > 0:18:42as provision at this school.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45There are details of its admission policy.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48On our behalf, Bill then contacted the fakers
0:18:48 > 0:18:51and sought a reference for our fictional janitor.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53It arrived within 24 hours.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57They provided details about their key duties,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01they provided additional information with regards to their performance,
0:19:01 > 0:19:05their sickness record and, indeed,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09when providing information about their performance and conduct
0:19:09 > 0:19:13within schools, they had made sure that not everything was perfect.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17But for a sharp-eyed employer,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19there are clues that this reference is a fake.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24Going to the website, there is no phone number for the organisation,
0:19:24 > 0:19:25there's no fax number,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28there's no information about any of the staff that work there
0:19:28 > 0:19:33or any contact details, other than an "info@" e-mail address.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38And for Bill, the fact that a reference from a previous employer
0:19:38 > 0:19:42could be faked so easily is deeply alarming.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44A reference is a key part of any application
0:19:44 > 0:19:46for a job within a school.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49It's actually quite shocking that somebody,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51for a very small amount of money,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54is - within a very short space of time -
0:19:54 > 0:19:57able to falsify their career and go and get one, two,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02perhaps more references, and seek employment then in a school,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04working with vulnerable children.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Following the findings of our investigation,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11the Federation of Small Businesses has written to all of its members -
0:20:11 > 0:20:15that's 200,000 employers - warning them about the websites
0:20:15 > 0:20:19that are offering to provide fake references.
0:20:19 > 0:20:20There are fake references out there,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23there are companies providing these on the web or elsewhere,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and unfortunately, just another symptom of
0:20:26 > 0:20:29where we are today in having to check all the references
0:20:29 > 0:20:31and all the bits and pieces
0:20:31 > 0:20:35behind getting decent recruits for our businesses.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Later, we'll discover how one organisation
0:20:39 > 0:20:42fell victim to a faker with a glowing reference.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46She was a very determined, very persistent fraudster.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49And we'll examine the damage this fakery has done
0:20:49 > 0:20:51to the British legal establishment.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00The criminals who manufacture and sell fake medicines
0:21:00 > 0:21:05are always looking for new ways to make money from health care products.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08And it seems there's nothing they wouldn't consider copying
0:21:08 > 0:21:11for a fast buck because, as we've discovered,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13the fakers are now preying on the most vulnerable
0:21:13 > 0:21:17and desperate people in society, by targeting the complex
0:21:17 > 0:21:21and expensive drugs that treat advanced-stage cancers.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Here at Fake Britain, we've previously highlighted the problem
0:21:28 > 0:21:30of the trade in fake medicines.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34It's an international, multibillion-pound industry,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38selling counterfeit products online to people that can't get them
0:21:38 > 0:21:40through normal licensed routes.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Now, traditionally, the majority of fakes smuggled into the UK
0:21:44 > 0:21:46have been lifestyle drugs,
0:21:46 > 0:21:50such as weight loss, hair growth, and erectile dysfunction medicines.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56But recently, an even more disturbing trend is on the rise.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00It seems that smugglers are now trading in fake life-saving drugs.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Rob Wainwright is the Director of Europol,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09the European Union's law enforcement agency.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12The problem, really, is the growing scale of counterfeit medicines
0:22:12 > 0:22:15that are flooding the market, not just in volume terms,
0:22:15 > 0:22:16but also, in the seriousness.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20So in the past, we've had problems with lifestyle drugs
0:22:20 > 0:22:24being counterfeited, like slimming pills, for example.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28But now the real problem is with counterfeit life-saving drugs,
0:22:28 > 0:22:29especially cancer treatments,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31especially sold over the internet,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and this is a growing problem for us in Europe.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40And one of the biggest concerns for the UK and European authorities
0:22:40 > 0:22:43battling the trade in fake medicines is cancer drugs.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47In particular, the so-called wonder drug Avastin.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Avastin is a licensed treatment for a number of cancers
0:22:51 > 0:22:54including lung, ovary, and colorectal cancer.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01The drug attacks specific targets on the cancer cells by blocking
0:23:01 > 0:23:02the formation of new blood vessels,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05while also disrupting the growth of the tumour.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11Typically, Avastin is used to treat patients with advanced cancers.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Someone who knows what the drug can do is Lisa Hensley.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22She's a mother of three and was diagnosed
0:23:22 > 0:23:24with bowel cancer two years ago.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28She underwent surgery and chemotherapy,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31but the cancer continued to spread.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Just before she was due to go
0:23:33 > 0:23:34under the knife again,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36her oncologist informed her
0:23:36 > 0:23:38the cancer had grown.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42The three tumours initially identified had become 11.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Further surgery was considered to be pointless.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Things were quite dark and the main things that I really thought
0:23:51 > 0:23:55I would miss out on were all the birthdays with the children.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00Would I see James turn 13? Would I see Bea turn 18? How quickly...?
0:24:00 > 0:24:04Because I do know that you can go downhill ever so quickly,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07and I know people who were at the same stage as me
0:24:07 > 0:24:09who, six months later, have passed away.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12But Lisa was prescribed Avastin.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18Within three months, her 11 tumours had been reduced to just two,
0:24:18 > 0:24:20and those had shrunk by 50%.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25When the first scan came back in April last year,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29showing that my tumours had reduced so significantly,
0:24:29 > 0:24:34I was really quite shocked because I hadn't expected such a result.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36I hadn't expected such a reaction.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39I had hoped that it would keep things at bay
0:24:39 > 0:24:41and, at the very least, that things hadn't grown,
0:24:41 > 0:24:45and to have such a reduction was just absolutely amazing.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47I think we went out to dinner to celebrate.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51And further into the year, after I'd had the radiotherapy
0:24:51 > 0:24:55that was made available because of this reduction,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57when I had that scan after that,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00which was made possible because of the Avastin,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02we actually cracked open Champagne.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05It's a fantastic feeling when things actually go your way for once.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09But it doesn't come cheap.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Made by pharmaceutical giant Roche,
0:25:13 > 0:25:18a standard ten-month treatment will cost up to ?25,000.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21The cost of Lisa's treatment was covered by the Government's
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Cancer Drugs Fund, but the fund can only help a limited number of people.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31The drug's not freely available on the NHS because of its cost,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34and the fact that in most cases, it will only prolong
0:25:34 > 0:25:36someone's life, rather than save it.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Because of this, it's become a prime target for the fakers.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Recently, news that fake Avastin
0:25:45 > 0:25:48had got into the US health care system shocked America.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Lung cancer patients prescribed Avastin were instead being given
0:25:53 > 0:25:57a worthless counterfeit that didn't contain the active ingredient.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02It's feared as many as 134 doctors in 28 states
0:26:02 > 0:26:04might have bought the fake product.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Typically, these counterfeit drug shipments are passed through
0:26:09 > 0:26:12a number of middlemen, and British companies have been involved
0:26:12 > 0:26:14in the distribution of the fakes.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17This is a growing problem around the world.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21You know, some estimates by the World Health Organisation
0:26:21 > 0:26:23put this at a 70 billion euro illegal trade.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Massive amounts of money being made here.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Criminals operating in Europe, also in the UK,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33many of the cases that we worked with have had British connections.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Only last week, working with the American authorities,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41we took out some Turkish gang masters that were trading in
0:26:41 > 0:26:45counterfeit cancer treatments, sending them mainly to the US,
0:26:45 > 0:26:49but there were connections to the UK and other European countries.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52The danger of fake Avastin
0:26:52 > 0:26:55getting into the pharmaceutical wholesale chain again
0:26:55 > 0:26:58is of massive concern for the authorities...
0:26:59 > 0:27:02..and where they can, law-enforcement agencies are taking action.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09The most recent seizure of fake Avastin happened here in Turkey,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13where much of the counterfeit Avastin distributed globally originates.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Local law enforcement raided warehouses used by
0:27:19 > 0:27:22one organised criminal gang specialising in the manufacture
0:27:22 > 0:27:25and distribution of fake cancer drugs.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28There, they found vast quantities of fake Avastin,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31packaged under its Turkish brand name, Altuzan.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35For Rob Wainwright, the haul found on raids like this
0:27:35 > 0:27:39underlines just what law enforcement is up against.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41It's quite a sophisticated operation.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Counterfeit drugs medicine.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47The criminals have improved their technique in recent years
0:27:47 > 0:27:50from the shipping and the transportation,
0:27:50 > 0:27:51and from the packaging.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53You can't really tell that they are counterfeit.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56You have to look very, very closely at it.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And for the fakers, there's huge money to be made.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02You know, we're talking about, in some cases,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05millions of counterfeit dosages that are being made
0:28:05 > 0:28:06by these criminals...
0:28:06 > 0:28:08There's a lot of money involved, as well.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12One estimate puts the return of investment of 300...
0:28:12 > 0:28:15You know, every pound that you invest in this criminal business,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18you get ?300 back. It's a huge return.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20And much greater than traditional forms of crime
0:28:20 > 0:28:22like drug trafficking and others.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26So that's what's attracting the criminals now to this market.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28The gangs involved in this trade are unscrupulous,
0:28:28 > 0:28:33making a lot of money by trading in illegal cancer treatments.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Preying on the weak and the vulnerable.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37They think they are above law enforcement attention,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39I can tell you that they're not.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43In total, Turkish authorities made 56 arrests.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Police authorities around Europe - in this case, Turkey -
0:28:46 > 0:28:49are taking positive action, rounding up the gang,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53and hopefully leading to a successful prosecution.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56According to reports in Turkish newspapers,
0:28:56 > 0:29:01counterfeit drugs manufactured by this gang had been sent to the UK.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05However, the NHRA, the government agency responsible
0:29:05 > 0:29:09for ensuring fake drugs don't reach British consumers,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13hasn't had any reports of fake Avastin entering the country yet.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19But for those who have experienced the life-changing impact
0:29:19 > 0:29:23Avastin can have, the fact that the drug is being counterfeited at all
0:29:23 > 0:29:25is deeply shocking.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30I think that there are unfortunately bad people in every situation
0:29:30 > 0:29:34you can come across, and I think it's absolutely horrendous
0:29:34 > 0:29:38that people have started to take advantage of what is essentially
0:29:38 > 0:29:42desperate cancer patients at their very vulnerable time of need,
0:29:42 > 0:29:44and people are out there taking advantage.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46I think it's absolutely horrendous.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59Earlier, we saw just how easy it is to fake a reference.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03We even acquired one to work in a school as a janitor.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06It's actually quite shocking that somebody is able
0:30:06 > 0:30:08to falsify their career
0:30:08 > 0:30:13and seek employment in a school, working with vulnerable children.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16But how much damage can a fake reference do
0:30:16 > 0:30:18in the hands of a determined faker?
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Every year, over 3,000 candidates apply for pupillage.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29It's the key step to becoming a successful barrister.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33These are much sought after positions.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35Following six months' training,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38successful candidates will be in court,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40handling criminal and civil cases.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45Successful applicants will typically have outstanding academic records
0:30:45 > 0:30:49and, in many cases, a reference from a former employer
0:30:49 > 0:30:52endorsing the candidate to join the Bar of England and Wales.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56One applicant, Soma Sengupta, looked to be an outstanding candidate.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59Her reference was from
0:30:59 > 0:31:02the Attorney General of New York, Eliot Spitzer -
0:31:02 > 0:31:06at the time, one of the most influential legal figures in America.
0:31:07 > 0:31:12Unsurprisingly, she was offered and accepted a pupillage
0:31:12 > 0:31:14at this leading barristers' chambers.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Marion Smullen is the Head of Chambers.
0:31:18 > 0:31:23She was meant to be a qualified district attorney from New York.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27But soon, concerns began to emerge.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32Her performance was off, initially with her written work.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35I put that down initially to the fact that
0:31:35 > 0:31:38she had had a serious accident, supposedly,
0:31:38 > 0:31:41that she had come over from New York, was settling in London.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45Apparently, her husband hadn't yet moved from New York to London
0:31:45 > 0:31:48and we were charitable and gave her the benefit of the doubt.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52This proved to be a mistake.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Sengupta, having completed
0:31:54 > 0:31:56the first six months of her pupillage,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59was now representing clients in real criminal cases.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04But Simon Duggan, one of the chamber's clerks,
0:32:04 > 0:32:08spotted something strange when looking at her paperwork.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11She'd had her date of birth down as 1978.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13My first recollection was that
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I'd seen a form that had her birthday down as 1968,
0:32:17 > 0:32:19and my second thought was that
0:32:19 > 0:32:21there's no way she looks 29 years old.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25I questioned it with her and we'd asked her
0:32:25 > 0:32:27to provide us with a passport,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29so we could check her date of birth.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31She was unable to supply that passport,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33gave various, you know, reasons.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35None of them good reasons at all.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37And from that position there,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39we had to take the process of suspending her.
0:32:41 > 0:32:42Further inquiries were made.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46Eventually, her references were checked
0:32:46 > 0:32:49and it transpired that her references were totally fake.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53She had not been a working DA, or a qualified DA, in New York.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56She had not been a graduate of Georgetown University.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59And essentially, she was a complete fraudster.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03But ever the inventive faker,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Sengupta stuck to her story.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07One of the referees from Georgetown,
0:33:07 > 0:33:10it transpired, had been dead for several years
0:33:10 > 0:33:12and couldn't have written her reference.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15But rather than throw up her hands and say,
0:33:15 > 0:33:17"Yes, I've been fraudulent,"
0:33:17 > 0:33:19she said, "Well, actually, no. It's the wrong man.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22"It was one of his nephews who had actually written the reference.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24"This is all a big mistake."
0:33:24 > 0:33:26So people went back to Georgetown, checked again,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29and he did not have any male relatives.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33So she was a very determined, very persistent fraudster.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38Clearly, Sengupta's reference from Eliot Spitzer was fake.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43Soon, the astonishing scale of her fakery was becoming apparent.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46In fact, while Ms Sengupta was qualified to practise law
0:33:46 > 0:33:48in the state of New York,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51she'd never been an assistant district attorney.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54It's true she worked at the DA offices in Manhattan,
0:33:54 > 0:33:59but her role was as a lowly paralegal and she certainly wasn't,
0:33:59 > 0:34:01as she claimed in her application,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03in court on an almost daily basis.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Her application contained numerous fake documents,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09including a fabricated birth certificate
0:34:09 > 0:34:12and a home-made educational diploma.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Eventually, Sengupta's lies were uncovered
0:34:15 > 0:34:18and the chambers revoked her membership.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20We asked the Bar Standards Board
0:34:20 > 0:34:24whether the cases Sengupta handled would need to be re-tried.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28They told us this would be a matter for the clients to pursue.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Her former chambers now demands to see
0:34:32 > 0:34:35applicants' original ID documents,
0:34:35 > 0:34:36but the damage has been done.
0:34:36 > 0:34:41Sengupta's fakery could have serious repercussions.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45The verdict in around 80 cases may now be challenged.
0:34:45 > 0:34:46It's very sad because...
0:34:46 > 0:34:50I think previously, everybody relied on the fact that
0:34:50 > 0:34:52people coming into a profession such as ours
0:34:52 > 0:34:54would be honourable and reliable
0:34:54 > 0:34:56and, erm, that you didn't need to
0:34:56 > 0:34:59go to the sort of lengths that we now do.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03But unfortunately, Soma has made us change those processes.
0:35:05 > 0:35:10And her fakery robbed a genuine candidate of a great opportunity.
0:35:10 > 0:35:15She deprived somebody else of a very valuable apprenticeship
0:35:15 > 0:35:18and she defrauded us out of a large amount of money.
0:35:18 > 0:35:23Shortly after her deception was uncovered, Sengupta fled to America.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28However, the British authorities passed evidence to US prosecutors
0:35:28 > 0:35:32and she was found guilty on fraud charges in a US court.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34She's now appealing her sentence.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44We've shown before on Fake Britain just how sophisticated
0:35:44 > 0:35:49the international criminal trade in counterfeit tobacco products can be.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Look at these, seized by the police. Completely convincing.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54Completely fake.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57But it's not just the smugglers who are getting inventive.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01The people who actually sell the illegal products here
0:36:01 > 0:36:04also have to try and keep one step ahead of the law.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Fake Britain's been out with Trading Standards Officers
0:36:07 > 0:36:10who reveal some of the tricks of this illicit trade.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18In 2013, the authorities seized over a billion illicit cigarettes
0:36:18 > 0:36:20and around 500 tonnes of illicit rolling tobacco.
0:36:24 > 0:36:25Amongst the haul are numerous different
0:36:25 > 0:36:28counterfeit tobacco brands and products.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31The smuggling and sale of illicit tobacco costs
0:36:31 > 0:36:35HM Revenue and Customs billions of pounds every year.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40In a bid to stub out the trade in illicit tobacco sales,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42Staffordshire Trading Standards launched Operation ASH,
0:36:42 > 0:36:46which targets the unscrupulous retailers who sell the tobacco.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Today, the teams are acting on intelligence
0:36:51 > 0:36:53gathered over the last month
0:36:53 > 0:36:55and have warrants to raid five shops.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00We're with senior investigator Nigel Cotton,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02as he heads to his team's target.
0:37:02 > 0:37:03Once we arrive at the premises,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05we will quickly alight the vehicles
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and get in there as quickly as possible.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10We don't want to alert them more than necessary.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12I shall go in there, introduce myself
0:37:12 > 0:37:15and issue the warrant, basically, telling them that
0:37:15 > 0:37:18we're going to search the property for illicit tobacco.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21We will then introduce the sniffer dog
0:37:21 > 0:37:25and see if it can detect any illicit tobacco on the property.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29The team head in and question the first person
0:37:29 > 0:37:31they believe to be a member of staff.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Can you come inside the shop a minute? Ta.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38So are you working here?
0:37:38 > 0:37:41OK, I've seen you in another shop around the corner.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Are you calling the boss? OK.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47The gentleman here has contacted the shop owner
0:37:47 > 0:37:50who, apparently, is on his way. He's only three minutes away.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54But Nigel has a secret weapon -
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Ozzie.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59He's undergone a specialist training programme
0:37:59 > 0:38:03which has conditioned him to seek out only concealed tobacco.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10The tobacco on display won't interest Ozzie
0:38:10 > 0:38:11as he'll only get a reward
0:38:11 > 0:38:14if he can sniff out the tobacco that's been hidden.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20As you can see, the sniffer dog's come in and I think it's indicated
0:38:20 > 0:38:22that there might be some tobacco behind the counter.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30The dog's just indicated an interest in this...
0:38:30 > 0:38:31which, if we open it up,
0:38:31 > 0:38:33as you can see,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35are some examples of illicit tobacco in it.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39Inside this box is an unholy mix of illicit tobacco.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41We've got unregulated cigarettes,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43known as cheap whites,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45packs smuggled in from Europe to avoid paying the duty,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47and counterfeits.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50It looks like some sort of first-aid kit.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59But Ozzie has found something else at the back of the store.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01That's a good boy! Yes, a good boy!
0:39:01 > 0:39:06The dog has indicated an interest in that demonstration canister,
0:39:06 > 0:39:09I suppose you'd call. As you look inside,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12it looks like it's full of cans.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15If we lift out that and look inside,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17you'll that there's a load of cigarettes...
0:39:17 > 0:39:20which are what we're after, basically.
0:39:20 > 0:39:21Yes! Good boy.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25Ozzie's earned a reward - his beloved squeaky ball.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27He's a good boy, did you know that?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Erm, this is a counterfeit brand,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32so we don't know who manufactures that.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35It's a copy of the original, and the problem with copied brands
0:39:35 > 0:39:39is that you don't know what they're putting in the tobacco, basically.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42It could be sweepings off the floor, animal droppings...
0:39:42 > 0:39:44have been found in the past.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46So, you know, it could be anything.
0:39:46 > 0:39:52And some of the tobacco found here has been cunningly packaged.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Well, I believe that these are made up to look very similar to
0:39:54 > 0:39:57Golden Virginia. They're not called Golden Virginia.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59They're called Original Virginia.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Clearly, whoever's manufacturing them is trying to circumvent
0:40:02 > 0:40:05some sort of law by not doing an exact copy,
0:40:05 > 0:40:08but they're making it look very similar.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Good boy! Well done, dog.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18The dogs are proving... I think we've shown them
0:40:18 > 0:40:20that they're an asset to working as a team
0:40:20 > 0:40:23with Trading Standards and Customs to finding
0:40:23 > 0:40:26where the tobacco has gone. TOY SQUEAKS
0:40:29 > 0:40:31As the fakers have become ever more inventive,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34the dogs have become crucial.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38The concealments that we're coming across now are very, very clever.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42They are being made, purposely built, to hide illicit tobacco.
0:40:42 > 0:40:47One of Ozzie's most eye-catching successes
0:40:47 > 0:40:51was sniffing out the illicit tobacco hidden within this hydraulic lift.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Inside the lift, Lincolnshire Trading Standards found
0:40:55 > 0:40:57a stash of fake cigarettes.
0:40:57 > 0:40:58This devious device
0:40:58 > 0:41:00is just one of a number of
0:41:00 > 0:41:02the fakers' hi tech hiding places.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06We've had electromagnets that are hidden in walls.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Ones that are on beepers and sensors. Plugs.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11There's all kinds, and it's becoming...
0:41:11 > 0:41:14It's obviously becoming a moneymaking scheme to make these
0:41:14 > 0:41:17and to hide the tobacco for these reasons.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21When it comes to finding hidden cigarettes, Ozzie's a machine!
0:41:21 > 0:41:23You can't hide it from the dog.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29This find is enough for Nigel to ask the police to arrest the man,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32who's suspected of working in the shop.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35You're under arrest under the Consumer Protection
0:41:35 > 0:41:36of Narco Trade and Regulations.
0:41:36 > 0:41:37You do not have to say anything,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39but it may harm your defence if you do not mention
0:41:39 > 0:41:42when questioned something which you later rely on in court.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48The police have just cautioned him and arrested him.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52He will be street bailed later, in a few moments.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Finally, the shop owner arrives.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58He's got a lot of explaining to do.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01We've visited your shop this morning. Yes.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04We've found some illicit tobacco, basically, under the counter
0:42:04 > 0:42:06and hidden in the back of the shop. Yep.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10We've made a receipt out for all the property which is here, OK? Mm-hm.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14But Ozzie's not finished yet.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19He's picked up something in one of the cars parked outside the shop.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21The vehicle's registered to the shopkeeper,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24and there's two big boxes of illicit tobacco
0:42:24 > 0:42:26on the back-seat.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29All the brands that we found in the shop, Original Virginia,
0:42:29 > 0:42:31a bit more stock this time, though.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34There's probably about 1,000 cigarettes in this box.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Both the man the police arrested in the shop
0:42:38 > 0:42:41and the shop owner will be prosecuted at the magistrates' court.
0:42:41 > 0:42:46If found guilty, they'll face fines and community service orders.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49For Nigel, though, it's been a successful day.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Seven arrests have been made
0:42:52 > 0:42:55and about 10,000 illegal cigarettes seized.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58It's just one of dozens of retailers
0:42:58 > 0:43:02Trading Standards are investigating all over the country,
0:43:02 > 0:43:04suspected of selling fake tobacco.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54Welcome to the Celebrity MasterChef semifinals.