0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Police!
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Get down! Get down! On the floor now!
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Here at the Fake Britain house
0:00:26 > 0:00:29we will reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33conning people like you and me, and making money for the criminals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We will investigate the fraudsters who are selling us
0:00:36 > 0:00:39something that isn't real and could be dangerous.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42And we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Today on Fake Britain we reveal the trade in fire blankets
0:00:47 > 0:00:49whose safety claims go up in smoke.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Clearly that hasn't worked.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57We pay an unwelcome visit to the suspects thought to be running
0:00:57 > 0:01:00counterfeit operations at their own homes.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I'd describe this as, like, a little shop.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Everything that's for sale on the fake market,
0:01:05 > 0:01:07represented in this one room.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09And we expose the fake tattoo inks
0:01:09 > 0:01:12that could mean clients get a lethal injection.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15This could potentially cause something fatal
0:01:15 > 0:01:17such as a heart attack.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24It is happening all over the country.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27More than four million of us are now cutting out the daily commute
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and working from the comfort of our own homes.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34People running all sorts of home-based businesses, trades
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and professions could be your neighbours.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40You might not even know a business was there.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And never one to miss a trick, the fakers are getting in on the act, too,
0:01:43 > 0:01:48running their counterfeit empires from behind their own four walls.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52So, do you know what is going on next door?
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Right across Britain an ever-increasing number
0:01:55 > 0:01:57of stay-at-home fakers are setting up shop
0:01:57 > 0:02:00behind the doors of ordinary domestic premises.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05For Trading Standards officer Chris Jones this emerging trend
0:02:05 > 0:02:07means changing tactics
0:02:07 > 0:02:10to take the fight to the fakers on their home turf.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Today he is in Bedfordshire
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and en route to a suspected stay-at-home faker
0:02:15 > 0:02:18he has heard has been running an open house.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22From our own intelligence today it appears that there is a garage
0:02:22 > 0:02:26at the rear of the house full of Ugg boots
0:02:26 > 0:02:28and some of those headphones,
0:02:28 > 0:02:32so it should be quite a lot of stuff today.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36He is believed to have duped customers with his counterfeit goods
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and they have shopped him to Trading Standards.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45- Mr- BLEEP?
0:02:45 > 0:02:47I am from Trading Standards,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50we have a warrant to search your premises for fake items.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55The suspect leads Chris to his garage, housing not his car,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58but what appears to be a counterfeit stash.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Wow.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Welcome to the latest store, just off the high street,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05where everything seems to be a fake.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08I would describe this as, like, a little shop.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Everything is on display.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13We even had carrier bags to take the stock away,
0:03:13 > 0:03:18and all the stock was displayed in the varying brand areas.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22So we have watches go with watches, electrical goods together,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and clothing in another section of the shop.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28So it is like a corner store for fake items.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32All these watches are Michael Kors watches.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Well done, jewelled, all working.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37In fact his collection is so extensive
0:03:37 > 0:03:39some of it is even new on Chris.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I've never heard of this Michael Kors hat,
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and never heard of the Ugg hat.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46So it will be interesting what the brand owner comes up with.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49To be honest with you I didn't know
0:03:49 > 0:03:51that brand made that particular product.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Like any shopkeeper the faker has not only got the latest gear,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57he is also on hand to answer questions.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Are you able to tell me how much you would charge for that?- How much?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- Yeah.- 25.- OK, thanks for that.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07This Ralph Lauren and SuperDry stuff, and take that row, right?
0:04:07 > 0:04:09As it is, it is easier if we do that.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The faker is even willing to throw in free extra.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- You can have the hangers. - You sure?- Yeah.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17The suspect might be trying to make light of the situation
0:04:17 > 0:04:21but the evidence against him seems overwhelming.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23The van is going to be full.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25We're on about something like, I think, Exhibit 25,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29of these big bags of varying products.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34Never had so many different ones at all, like this. A bit of everything.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Virtually a current what's for sale on the fake market
0:04:37 > 0:04:39is represented in this one room.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41It is not just clothes on sale
0:04:41 > 0:04:44but also suspected counterfeit electrical goods.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46This is a radio mic.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Very popular with young people at the moment.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54And actually, to buy the real, non-fake product, very expensive.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58But cheap counterfeits often don't meet British standards
0:04:58 > 0:05:01and could pose a danger to the public.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Eventually two vehicles are crammed full of confiscated goods
0:05:04 > 0:05:07which will be analysed back at base.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10And Trading Standards has proved that selling from home
0:05:10 > 0:05:12rather than on the high street
0:05:12 > 0:05:15does not offer suspected fakers a safe place to hide.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20This chap is like a general shop in any high street in a town.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22So he has been making good money out of it.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26They have lost a lot of money today, because his stock has gone.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Whilst some criminals are selling fakes from their homes,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32others are going one step further and making the fakes to sell on.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37200 miles west,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Rhys Harries from Swansea Trading Standards
0:05:39 > 0:05:43is finding that good old British manufacturing is thriving -
0:05:43 > 0:05:44amongst the fakers, at least.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48What we are finding now is that people are moving away
0:05:48 > 0:05:51from selling counterfeit goods at markets,
0:05:51 > 0:05:53or from the back of white vans,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and actually selling from the comfort of their own home,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58through online means, by social media.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01I think this is probably because they feel safer, you know,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04they are in the house, and people cannot inspect them
0:06:04 > 0:06:08like they would on a normal, traditional market stall.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Rhys led an investigation into a husband-and-wife team from Swansea
0:06:12 > 0:06:16who had set up a thriving home clothing business with a difference.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20It is a normal residential street and this is where the Pitsons
0:06:20 > 0:06:23were running their cottage industry from,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26making their counterfeit clothing.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Behind the doors I don't think anybody would have known
0:06:29 > 0:06:32that there was this fake counterfeit factory going on.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Rhys and his team finally gathered enough evidence
0:06:36 > 0:06:39to raid the unassuming family home.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43We found hundreds of T-shirts, tracksuits, already branded.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49They had a hanging rail on one side,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52everything was set out like a mini business,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56I was quite surprised at the scale of what we found there.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00It was quite an impressive little set-up they had.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03The couple were buying unbranded blank clothing
0:07:03 > 0:07:05and turning it into branded, fake clothing,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08all from the comfort of their own home.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11The question was, how were they doing it so quickly and efficiently,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14and in such great quantities?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16What we found was this cutter.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18This was connected to a computer
0:07:18 > 0:07:22and they had a bit of software which designed the logos.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26So you put, for example, the Converse logo onto it,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29and you would run a bit of vinyl like this through,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32and it would cut out the words Converse,
0:07:32 > 0:07:36and the mark at the top, and then you take those letters
0:07:36 > 0:07:40and arrange them however you wanted onto a T-shirt.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43A portable steam press can help you out with your household ironing,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47but the fakers were using it to apply the vinyl trademark logos
0:07:47 > 0:07:49they had cut out.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51You would put them into the press,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53press the press down to get a heat on it,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56and then you would have a T-shirt
0:07:56 > 0:07:58which is turned into a Converse T-shirt.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02The fakers artfully put the "con" into Converse
0:08:02 > 0:08:04and went on to make a killing.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07This pile of hundreds of fake branded clothes,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09worth thousands of pounds, was seized from the house,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13giving Rhys all the evidence he needed to prosecute the couple.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18They pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud and counterfeiting.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Joanne Pitson was given a three-month suspended sentence
0:08:23 > 0:08:28and Lee Pitson was given 120 hours' community service.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Rhys thinks the problem of fakers
0:08:30 > 0:08:33running their business from home is getting worse.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37What we are finding is there is a lot more of these cottage industries
0:08:37 > 0:08:40involving fakes being found in the homes.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Because it is so easy, these days, with the onset of technology,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48smaller printers, the internet, social media,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52makes it a lot easier for people to sell products across a wider range
0:08:52 > 0:08:55than what they used to be able to do at a market.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Last year 30 people were killed and more than 3,000 injured
0:09:05 > 0:09:08as a result of cooking fires in the home.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12Little wonder that many of us choose to protect our homes and loved ones
0:09:12 > 0:09:16by having safety equipment like these fire blankets close at hand.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18They should provide us with peace of mind.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20But these are no comfort blankets.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23They are on sale, they are untested
0:09:23 > 0:09:27and make fake safety claims which could be putting lives at risk.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Britain's fire services
0:09:32 > 0:09:36are called out to over 20,000 kitchen fires every year.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41In fact they make up over two-thirds of their shouts to domestic premises.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46These fires can burn out of control in an instant,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49causing untold damage, and putting lives in danger...
0:09:53 > 0:09:56..something which furniture designer John Crawford
0:09:56 > 0:10:00became very aware of when a family friend was seriously injured.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05She'd unfortunately been very badly burned in a kitchen fire,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07when she was cooking a dinner for her children,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10wearing a loose shirt, her shirt caught fire,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12and spread very quickly.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17She did not have anything in the kitchen, such as a fire blanket,
0:10:17 > 0:10:22and as a consequence, really, was very badly burned.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28I think it does strike a chord with you,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30it is a daily activity that we do,
0:10:30 > 0:10:34we are cooking dinner for the children every night,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and it does chime with you
0:10:36 > 0:10:40that that could very easily happen in your own home.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Spurred into action by what he had heard,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44John went online to buy a fire blanket
0:10:44 > 0:10:47that could help protect him and his family.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52But what had appeared like a quality product online
0:10:52 > 0:10:56began to look very questionable when it arrived.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58As I took it out of the box it became clear
0:10:58 > 0:11:03that the packaging of the product looked a little bit unusual.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05The immediate thing that jumped out was
0:11:05 > 0:11:09where you would expect to see a manufacturer, a country of origin,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11there's nothing there.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14You start to read the text that is on it, and we have,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18"If clothing is on fire, force victim to groud."
0:11:18 > 0:11:21"Wrao", instead of "wrap", "..in fire blanket."
0:11:21 > 0:11:24So they are immediately very obvious
0:11:24 > 0:11:27grammatical or English mistakes on there.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Altogether you do start to wonder
0:11:30 > 0:11:32if the product isn't right in packaging terms,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35is it really going to do the very serious function
0:11:35 > 0:11:37which it is designed for?
0:11:38 > 0:11:41In Britain there are no compulsory standards for fire blankets,
0:11:41 > 0:11:46but there is a voluntary European standard they can be tested to.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48John's blanket claimed to meet that standard.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51If true, it would mean that it has been proven
0:11:51 > 0:11:53to suppress a fire within seconds
0:11:53 > 0:11:55and that the fire would not reignite
0:11:55 > 0:11:57if the blanket was removed after 17 minutes.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06But there are some more basic tests the fire blanket must pass first.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08And the British Standard Institute's Head of Fire Safety,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Bob Wells, can tell it falls short of the first hurdle
0:12:12 > 0:12:14and it's a fake.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19On the blanket itself you should have a label,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22rather like you find in a T-shirt or your trousers,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25relating to the manufacturer's name,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29manufacturer's address, and a model reference.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34As you can see, this product has no marking on it at all.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Failing to meet this simple requirement
0:12:36 > 0:12:39means there is no way the blanket would have been approved
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and casts doubt on whether it is even up to the job.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44I'd be pushing these aside
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and going for something perhaps a little bit more expensive,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50but I know it is going to work when I need it to.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Alarmingly, Fake Britain has discovered
0:12:54 > 0:12:57thousands of cheap fire blankets being sold,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59many making false safety claims.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Whether they actually work is anyone's guess.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07To find out, later we will call in the professionals
0:13:07 > 0:13:09and put a selection of them to the test.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12We're just going to place it over.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Here on Fake Britain, we have shown you
0:13:22 > 0:13:25how the fakers have infiltrated the high street,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28the internet, businesses and even our homes.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32But now they are literally getting under our skin.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35That's because tattoos are more popular than they have ever been.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Look at these.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40They are inks that a tattooist might use, but they are fake,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42and that is a very serious problem.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48We all know someone who has got one, because tattoos are now mainstream,
0:13:48 > 0:13:53with high-profile figures from David Beckham to David Dimbleby...
0:13:53 > 0:13:56- Ow!- ..sporting ink on their skin.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58In fact there are over 10,000 tattoo studios
0:13:58 > 0:14:00dotted up and down the country,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03adding body art to the 1.5 million Brits
0:14:03 > 0:14:06who get permanently inked every year.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Charging around £100 an hour, it is a multimillion-pound industry
0:14:11 > 0:14:14that has seen massive growth in recent years.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17And that growth has been fuelled by the work of people like Louis Malloy
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and his celebrity clients.
0:14:20 > 0:14:26I have worked on quite a few famous clients, including the Beckhams,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Sir Bradley Wiggins, Andrew Flintoff,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I could go on and on, but I won't.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34With over 30 years' experience,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Louis is one of Britain's most respected tattooists
0:14:37 > 0:14:39and is a master of his art.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43But with the rising popularity of tattoos
0:14:43 > 0:14:46he has seen a rise in fakes flooding the industry.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49I have seen examples of products
0:14:49 > 0:14:53that are manufactured by European and American companies,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57literally within weeks of them releasing those products,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00the Chinese are then doing counterfeits.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04A long-time target of the fakers has been these tattoo machines.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Determined to make their mark, though,
0:15:07 > 0:15:08the fakers have not stopped there.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12We can reveal that they have moved on to tattoo inks,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15something which alarms leading industry figures like Louis.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18When you move on to things like tattoo colours,
0:15:18 > 0:15:19it's a whole different ballgame
0:15:19 > 0:15:22because they're going into people's skin.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25You're dealing with an unknown quantity,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27and it can be very, very dangerous
0:15:27 > 0:15:31because you have got no idea what you are putting into your body.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38One of the most popular and trusted brands of tattoo ink is Intenze.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40A single one-ounce bottle costs around £10.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43That is, if it's the real deal.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47This set of 14 Intenze inks, for example,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51is on offer for the unbelievable price of £26 for the lot.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56As you know, we can't resist a bargain here at Fake Britain,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58so we snapped them up, and took them
0:15:58 > 0:16:02to Intenze's sole UK distributor, Global Tattoo Supplies.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Boss Steve Crane sells these inks day in, day out,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09and before he even takes them out of the packet,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13he confirms that they may be cheap but they are also a con.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15The fakes we can tell immediately.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20They would never be shrink-wrapped or packaged in this foil.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25And, once he gets his hands on them, Steve's experienced eye begins
0:16:25 > 0:16:30to uncover a trail of telltale signs that the fakers have left behind.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32On the fake,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34the ingredients and the disclaimers
0:16:34 > 0:16:36are all going into a tonal grey colour.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41On the original, all of the ink on the label is the same tone.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44No barcode information on the fake, but it is on the original.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Another giveaway is the colour tone.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52This is the original Mario's Light Blue.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Unfortunately, the fake is slightly darker,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59so there wouldn't be any consistency for the tattoo artist
0:16:59 > 0:17:05and the customer in getting an ongoing piece of tattoo art.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08With the appearance so different, Steve is keen to see what this
0:17:08 > 0:17:11means for the quality of the product inside.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14We are going to try the fake first of all.
0:17:14 > 0:17:20All I will do is put a little drop of ink down on the paper.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25Spread it around with my thumb.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29As we can see, we have got quite a streaky consistency,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and it's spreading out quite a lot on the paper.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34This is the original product.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36We are going to do exactly the same thing again.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Straight away, you see it's a completely different,
0:17:40 > 0:17:44denser product, giving us a nice, bright finish
0:17:44 > 0:17:48as opposed to the streakiness of the fake.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52The difference between the real and fake inks is immediately clear.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55What he is seeing makes Steve worried about the customers who end up
0:17:55 > 0:17:59with this fake ink injected into their skin.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02There would be concern that the tattoo pigment itself
0:18:02 > 0:18:06is so thin and weak that it would result in a bad tattoo
0:18:06 > 0:18:08and also, the health risks associated
0:18:08 > 0:18:12with any inconsistencies in the manufacturing and bottling
0:18:12 > 0:18:16and the hygiene side of this product.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Years of research has gone into the genuine products
0:18:19 > 0:18:22to make sure they are safe to use on human skin,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26and comply with European regulations on the content of tattoo inks.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30The fakes are untested, and their true contents unknown.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35What he's already seen is giving Steve serious cause for concern,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38and as the ink dries, alarm bells begin to ring about the fake's
0:18:38 > 0:18:40potential to cause serious harm.
0:18:42 > 0:18:48The fake ink is just rubbing away and disappearing as we touch it.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52The original one is not moving at all.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57This is telling me that we have a good, strong, stable product.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Here, I don't know what we've got.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06With the fake inks looking not just dodgy, but potentially dangerous,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10it's time to get them tested and find out exactly what they contain.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14At the University of Loughborough, two chemists have agreed
0:19:14 > 0:19:18to run a series of tests that will reveal once and for all
0:19:18 > 0:19:21whether these are harmless inks, or a potential health hazard.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25Whilst Dr Matt Turner gets to work determining exactly what
0:19:25 > 0:19:30chemicals the inks contain, a floor below, his colleague
0:19:30 > 0:19:32is testing the fake's claim to be sterile.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36What I've done so far is to dilute the dye
0:19:36 > 0:19:39in some liquid nutrient broth,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43which is essentially, in layman's terms, bacteria food.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47I'm going to swab onto an agar plate.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52What we will then do is incubate the plates
0:19:52 > 0:19:55and we'll see if anything grows.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00If it was sterile, we should see nothing.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04The plates stay in the incubator for 48 hours
0:20:04 > 0:20:06at a temperature of 37 degrees,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09designed to replicate what would happen in the human body.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15When they are taken out, the genuine product is all clear, as expected.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20But the fake white ink paints a very different, and scary, picture.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23We saw that there was bacterial growth.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27It was quite shocking actually because you could
0:20:27 > 0:20:30see there was certainly something growing in there.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33The dye is contaminated with some sort of bug.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36There are two families of bacteria present.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39I suspect one is the streptococcal family,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41and the other is the proteas family.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46The streptococcal family includes the infamous hospital superbug MRSA,
0:20:46 > 0:20:51and proteus bacteria are found in human and animal faeces,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53meaning, far from being sterile,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57these inks are being produced in squalid, unhygienic conditions.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Anyone getting a tattoo with these could be in serious trouble.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04If this particular dye is injected into the skin,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07if it does get into the bloodstream,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09then this could cause a variety of problems.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13The worst-case scenario we're looking at is sepsis, where we
0:21:13 > 0:21:19have got inflammation occurring due to the infection in the body.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23This could potentially cause something fatal,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26such as a heart attack.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31These findings mean that anyone being conned into buying these counterfeit
0:21:31 > 0:21:35inks could end up administering a deadly dose to one of their clients.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41The results from Matt's analysis of the contents are equally concerning.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45On the top we have the genuine tattoo ink,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47where we have just two major components.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50On the bottom we've got the fake tattoo ink,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53where you can see there are several different components.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55We don't know what these components are,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58or what they'll do once they get into your body.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Using his years of experience to interpret these findings,
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Matt fears what he's seeing in the fakes poses a real danger.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10These dyes could be industrial dyes that are used in paints
0:22:10 > 0:22:14or clothing, and were never meant to come into contact with skin.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16The worst-case scenario
0:22:16 > 0:22:19would be these inks getting into your bloodstream,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22the materials in the ink accumulating in your body,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26and in your organs, and you get a severe allergic reaction
0:22:26 > 0:22:28and it shuts your organs down.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31The findings could hardly be worse,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34with the fakes declared potentially lethal on two fronts.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40For respected tattooist Louis Molloy, who campaigns against counterfeit
0:22:40 > 0:22:43products, this time the fakers have gone too far.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46I think it's quite shocking that someone is prepared to make
0:22:46 > 0:22:50something like that and sell it. It is wrong, it is very, very wrong.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52It should not be allowed.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57People who manufacture counterfeit tattoo pigment
0:22:57 > 0:22:59put profit over people's health.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01They are just scum, in my mind.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05While legitimate tattooists like Louis are appalled,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09the number of people potentially using these products is on the rise.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13As we'll see later, councils across Britain are battling
0:23:13 > 0:23:16to control growing numbers of fake tattoo artists
0:23:16 > 0:23:20operating from backrooms and putting members of the public at risk.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23We don't know how you're operating.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27The worry is about HIV, hepatitis, spreading disease.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Earlier, we saw how thousands of fire blankets are being sold bearing
0:23:38 > 0:23:42fake safety claims, with no proof that they are even up to the job.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47If something does go wrong,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51it's your local fire service who has to come to the rescue.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56West Midlands Fire Service is one of the busiest brigades in the country.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00With over 20 years on the job, operations commander
0:24:00 > 0:24:04Steve Harris knows just how dangerous kitchen fires can be.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10Recently we had a fatal kitchen fire, so it's a serious situation.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14We advise people just to get out and stay out and call us
0:24:14 > 0:24:16to put the fire out for them.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19But, for the thousands who have fire blankets to hand,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21and use them to bring a fire under control,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24they must at the very least be reliable and up to the job.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Steve is shocked to learn that there are fakes on the market.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33If fire blankets turn out to be fake and don't do what they should,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36then, yes, it could make the situation worse.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Somebody might believe they are using a genuine product
0:24:39 > 0:24:41to put a fire out, and actually it doesn't do the job,
0:24:41 > 0:24:45makes the situation worse, puts that person in danger,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and then we have to go into the building to try to save their life.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53At the service's training base, Steve is getting kitted up
0:24:53 > 0:24:56to put a selection of six fire blankets we've found
0:24:56 > 0:24:59bearing fake safety markings through a real-life scenario.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06This mobile unit is normally used to demonstrate to the public
0:25:06 > 0:25:08just how lethal chip-pan fires can be.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Now, Steve is firing it up to discover how this lot perform
0:25:12 > 0:25:14when the heat is on.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15We're just going to place it over.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21It quickly becomes apparent that, far from protecting themselves,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24anyone relying on these fake fire blankets
0:25:24 > 0:25:27could be putting themselves in serious danger.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Clearly, that has not worked. It is still a substantial fire.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35That would have set fire to a kitchen now,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and you would have a significant property fire.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I can't comment on the European standard.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43What I can say is that doesn't work.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46That does not do what I expect a fire blanket to have done.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48The blanket has not cut off oxygen to the fire,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50so we still have oxygen, we still have heat,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and we still have fuel, and we still have a fire.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55I'd be very worried that people are selling these
0:25:55 > 0:25:57and the public are buying them,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59assuming that they would put out a chip-pan fire.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Our advice is to get out, stay out and call 999.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Then you're not in any danger.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Five minutes in, the fire is still burning,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11and the fire blanket's claims are clearly fake.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14The kitchen would have been destroyed by fire by now.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17On average, it takes around five minutes for a fire engine
0:26:17 > 0:26:19to get to a property.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22This has been five minutes and we still have a fire.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24So it is worrying.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27In fact, it takes more than eight minutes for the flames
0:26:27 > 0:26:28to finally die out.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Something in this blanket has caused it
0:26:32 > 0:26:34not to do what it is supposed to do.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35Some of this is heat damaged
0:26:35 > 0:26:39and we would expect that from a blanket that has done its job,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43but this one has just gone very, very brittle now.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46As you can see, it did not do its job.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It did not work.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Disturbingly, it's not the only one.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Almost instantly, the flames broke through this blanket and,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05as you can see, there's still fire on top of the actual fire blanket,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08so in essence, the fire blanket has not done anything.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11I certainly would not want to use that kind of fire blanket
0:27:11 > 0:27:12in my property,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16and I would not suggest that anybody buys a blanket of that standard.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21Out of a sample of six, two have been engulfed by flames and had no effect.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27But this test has taken place under more forgiving outdoor conditions,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30and having seen them up close, Steve is not happy any of
0:27:30 > 0:27:35these blankets could be relied upon in an emergency inside a property.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38It appears it's a bit of a lottery as to which one works.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41You don't know whether it works until you actually need it.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43You can't test a fire blanket.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45You use it, and it works or it doesn't,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and that is too much of a chance for me.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53We showed John Crawford, who bought one of these fake fire blankets
0:27:53 > 0:27:57to protect his young family, the results of this trial by fire.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00I am very glad that I did buy another blanket.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03It is quite scary, really, to see
0:28:03 > 0:28:07the intensity of the flames after the blanket has been put on.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10By trusting his suspicions,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12John realises he may have had a lucky escape.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15It is clearly quite dangerous, what is being done.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19I think a good comparison is perhaps buying a car that claims
0:28:19 > 0:28:22to have airbags and by the time you have an accident,
0:28:22 > 0:28:27and you realise that no airbags were fitted, then it is clearly too late.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Earlier, we saw the fake tattoo inks for sale,
0:28:36 > 0:28:40which could cause illness or potentially even death.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44The worst-case scenario would be you get a severe allergic reaction
0:28:44 > 0:28:46and it shuts your organs down.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49The people likely to be using these products are not likely to be
0:28:49 > 0:28:51reputable tattoo studios
0:28:51 > 0:28:55but fake tattooists who are unregistered and inexperienced.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00In Britain, a tattooist has to have been inspected by the local council
0:29:00 > 0:29:04and awarded a registration certificate that declares
0:29:04 > 0:29:07their premises hygienic and them fit to operate.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12But in recent years, there's been a rise in fakers,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15falsely claiming these credentials.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19In Plymouth, they're fighting back with Operation Itchy,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23a crackdown on illegal tattooists, known in the trade as scratchers.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Environmental Health officer Will Tomkins
0:29:27 > 0:29:28is spearheading the operation.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32We are here to execute a court order now, a property down the road,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35where we suspect illegal tattooing is taking place.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38The powers we've got is power of entry to the property,
0:29:38 > 0:29:42we've got powers for the occupant there to answer questions
0:29:42 > 0:29:44relating to the illegal tattoo operation,
0:29:44 > 0:29:48and we've also got powers to seize and destroy any equipment we find.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51Will has got intelligence that a tattoo business is being run
0:29:51 > 0:29:54out of this house by a man making fake claims
0:29:54 > 0:29:57to his clients that he's registered to operate.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00The key reason for us going in is concerns about public health.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03The risks of tattooing when you aren't registered,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05or when you haven't been inspected by us,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09the risks of blood-borne infections, HIV, hepatitis,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12are greatly increased, so we want to protect the public.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Will has seen first-hand the dangers fake
0:30:16 > 0:30:18and unlicensed tattooists can cause.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Operation Itchy has already taken three scratchers off the streets.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25This victim was hospitalised for two weeks
0:30:25 > 0:30:27after his tattoo became infected.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31With another scratcher in his sights,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Will hopefully will find enough evidence inside
0:30:34 > 0:30:36to close this operation down before anyone else gets hurt.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:30:44 > 0:30:45No-one's home.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Even though Will's warrant gives him power to force entry,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51he has the tattooist's mobile number,
0:30:51 > 0:30:55and this faker is about to receive a very unwelcome wake-up call.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57I'm from Environmental Health at Plymouth City Council.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59We're at the property now.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01All right, we'll see you when you get here.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06Yes, I have just contacted one of the mobile phone numbers
0:31:06 > 0:31:08we've got, so we're going to pick up the person
0:31:08 > 0:31:10and they'll be back in half an hour.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14I'm from Environmental Health.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17We've come to see if you are running an illegal tattoo business.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21As soon as he sets foot inside the premises, Will sees evidence
0:31:21 > 0:31:25of the faker's illegal activity, and reads him his rights.
0:31:25 > 0:31:26I will caution you now.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence
0:31:29 > 0:31:31if you do not mention when questioned
0:31:31 > 0:31:33something which you later rely on in court.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36Formalities over, the search can begin.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39With the risk of infection from dirty needles,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Will is not taking any chances.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Put some gloves on and I'll have a look and see what we have got.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48There's everything needed here to run the faker's tattoo operation
0:31:48 > 0:31:50from his front room.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52We've got the needles in here.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55And there's a sharps box in here as well.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59Love Tattoos box containing tattoo machines.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Will and the team catalogue each item for evidence,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07but the risk of infection from this potentially unhygienic kit
0:32:07 > 0:32:09means they won't be holding on to it.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Everything we've got here is now going to be destroyed,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16so we'll phone a waste contractor who will take that away.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18As the search moves into the kitchen,
0:32:18 > 0:32:20the team are looking for more evidence to confirm
0:32:20 > 0:32:24that the faker's running a commercial tattooing operation,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27and details in a diary could be vital evidence.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Is this one your diary?
0:32:29 > 0:32:30- Yes.- OK.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33I'm going to take this as evidence.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36Proof of his illegal activity is mounting,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38but the faker is still seemingly confused
0:32:38 > 0:32:42as to why he's being targeted. Will spells it out for him.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Because you're operating unregistered,
0:32:45 > 0:32:46you haven't had the inspection,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50and the worries from our point of view is public health,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53it is about HIV, hepatitis, spreading disease.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55We can't be sure - any of the equipment there
0:32:55 > 0:32:58could be contaminated because we have not inspected you,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00we don't know how you're operating.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07With the equipment confiscated,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09it's another scratcher put out of business,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11and, after reviewing the evidence,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15Will can decide whether to haul the faker before the courts.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17The fact is that we found equipment,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20and we believe that person was operating illegally.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25Will's suspect will have to wait to find out his fate,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28but it's a problem that stretches right across the country.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34In Carlisle, fake tattooist Justin McKnight has been convicted
0:33:34 > 0:33:37and is today facing sentencing for his crimes.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41A mountain of evidence was amassed against McKnight,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44following a tip-off from the genuine tattoo trade.
0:33:44 > 0:33:49Environmental Health officer Scott Burns led the investigation.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53When we went into the property we seized a large amount of items.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56You can see we've got tattoo needles,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59we've got the tubes that fit into the guns.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02What's not here is any sterilising baths,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05or any suitable cleansing wipes.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09When the team entered McKnight's premises,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12they found promotional material advertising his illegal business
0:34:12 > 0:34:15and, more worryingly, a home tattoo studio,
0:34:15 > 0:34:19where used inks and equipment were left lying around.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22The hygiene and the cleanliness of the premises were poor.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26This is one of the needles that we confiscated from the premises.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28The needles are still attached.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32We'd hope that those would have been taken out and put in the sharps box.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34The equipment itself should be covered.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37There is a risk of contamination,
0:34:37 > 0:34:42and we do know that one of the four people who we know had a tattoo
0:34:42 > 0:34:46done by Mr McKnight had to be on antibiotics for a skin infection.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Not only was McKnight operating illegally,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52but gaining clients and credibility
0:34:52 > 0:34:56by making fake claims about his experience and expertise.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Mr McKnight was claiming that he had 22 years of experience,
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and that was the claim he made on his website.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06When we actually properly interviewed him under caution,
0:35:06 > 0:35:07it transpired that that 22 years
0:35:07 > 0:35:10was 22 years of him having tattoos himself,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13not carrying out tattoos on other people.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16It mentions on your website 22 years' experience.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Within tattoos, getting them myself.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22He looked like the real deal.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27He had all the facilities, but he was fake and he put people at risk.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Confronted with the evidence, McKnight pleads guilty,
0:35:33 > 0:35:37and he emerges from court with a 100-day suspended jail sentence,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39as well as an order to pay costs.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44For Scott and the team, it is job done.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46We're pleased with the result,
0:35:46 > 0:35:48and we hope we've sent the right message out -
0:35:48 > 0:35:51one, support your registered tattooists
0:35:51 > 0:35:54because they've got the right facilities and equipment,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56and don't support these fake scratchers,
0:35:56 > 0:35:58because they can be very dangerous.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07The fakers have already got inside our homes.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Now, they're inside our homes away from home.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14There are more than a million caravans in the UK,
0:36:14 > 0:36:18and a fun-filled holiday in one isn't complete, or hygienic,
0:36:18 > 0:36:19without some of this stuff.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22Toilet fluid,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24specifically designed to stop the germs
0:36:24 > 0:36:28taking advantage of the cosy conditions in the caravan loo.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30But, you guessed it, this is fake,
0:36:30 > 0:36:34and that means the happy holiday could turn into a health hazard.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Caravanning is a British obsession.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Over 1.5 million of us own one,
0:36:41 > 0:36:46and as a nation we spend over £2 billion a year on caravan holidays
0:36:46 > 0:36:48and the kit that goes with it.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54This is our caravan, if you want to pop in and have a look around.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Barry Green and his wife Sue love their caravan.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01This is the lounge, seating area for ourselves and friends, of course.
0:37:01 > 0:37:02We've got the kitchen here.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06A double bed, and in here we have got the bathroom.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Keen caravanners for over 25 years,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12they're very proud of their mobile home away from home.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16It's just getting away from normal normality really, I suppose.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20You get into a little world of your own.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23It's just a really, really nice way of life.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26We've got some really good friends, and we meet a lot of nice people.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31While some of the kit that goes with the caravanning lifestyle
0:37:31 > 0:37:33is a luxury, other things are essential
0:37:33 > 0:37:36to keep these small spaces sanitary,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39like this, antibacterial toilet fluid.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43Known as Elsan Blue, it's a popular choice amongst caravanners,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46so when Barry and Sue saw some of it on special offer,
0:37:46 > 0:37:48they snapped it up.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52We were on the Lincolnshire Centre Caravan Club rally
0:37:52 > 0:37:58and we spotted one stall selling Elsan Blue.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04We thought, "£9.99, that really is an excellent price,"
0:38:04 > 0:38:06so we decided to purchase it.
0:38:06 > 0:38:11Selling at a third less than its normal retail price,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14many others were also taking advantage of the bargain.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17But Barry and Sue soon began to question
0:38:17 > 0:38:20whether it had been money well spent.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23After a couple of days of use, I thought,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26"There's a bit of a whiff in here."
0:38:26 > 0:38:31Every time I went in, I thought it smelled a bit like the sewer.
0:38:31 > 0:38:37It seemed extremely thin and I thought, "This doesn't seem right."
0:38:37 > 0:38:41I decided that I would take it up with the company.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Barry e-mailed a letter of complaint,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47along with photos of the offending bottle.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51They were passed to boss Tony King, who knew straight away
0:38:51 > 0:38:54that his company had fallen victim to the fakers.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57One of the things we first noticed was it was a five-litre bottle.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59We've never made a five-litre ourselves.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03It was a straight clue that this was going to be a counterfeit product.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05The problem for us was our reputation.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08As Barry first thought, it might be an Elsan product,
0:39:08 > 0:39:10and it's Elsan that's going to get the blame.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14As an independent British company, who still manufacture everything
0:39:14 > 0:39:18on site, over a century they have built up an impressive pedigree.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23During World War II, all RAF bombers were equipped with Elsan toilets
0:39:23 > 0:39:27and chemicals, and today they supply to several major airlines,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29as well as the caravan trade.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32The company was established in 1924,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35and since then we have been developing new formulas
0:39:35 > 0:39:37and new products to try and produce something
0:39:37 > 0:39:41that's an extremely good product, the best on the market.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45With an unknown quantity of the fake fluid now on the market,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48it was not just their hard-won reputation that Tony feared
0:39:48 > 0:39:51was at risk from the actions of the fakers.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54There is a safety angle - Elsan Blue is extremely antibacterial,
0:39:54 > 0:39:58and it's designed to kill all the bad bugs and germs in your toilet,
0:39:58 > 0:40:01so when you come to dispose of the waste, you have got a reasonable,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04safe chance of getting rid of it without catching anything horrible.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08If you come into contact with human waste, it's an immediate health hazard.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Although the bottle looked convincing,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Tony feared what customers were being sold
0:40:14 > 0:40:16was nothing like the genuine article.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20And an initial inspection only seemed to confirm his fears.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22You can see that they both look very different.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26It is very obvious that the fake product is very thin, watery,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28hardly any colour at all,
0:40:28 > 0:40:29and the genuine product
0:40:29 > 0:40:32is a nice dark blue and there is no comparison between the two.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34This is probably just blue water.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36It is criminal.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38It is basically fraud, we think.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43The bigger fear, though, is that, as well as being short-changed,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46anyone who has been sold one of the counterfeit bottles
0:40:46 > 0:40:50could be leaving themselves exposed to a range of gastrointestinal diseases.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57So, to find out the effects of using both the real and fake fluids,
0:40:57 > 0:41:02a leading microbiologist is testing their kill rate against E. coli,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05a bug commonly found in human waste.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11We take a quantity of living E. coli,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15spread it onto the surface of an agar plate,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18and then spot onto the plate the genuine product
0:41:18 > 0:41:21and the counterfeit product,
0:41:21 > 0:41:25incubate it overnight at 37 degrees centigrade,
0:41:25 > 0:41:26and see what happens.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32What appears on these plates will show to the naked eye
0:41:32 > 0:41:36what would be taking place invisibly in bathrooms like Barry and Sue's,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38where the fake is used.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42As you can see, there is an obvious difference.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45The clear circle around the genuine product on the left
0:41:45 > 0:41:48means it's killed everything it has touched.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51But on the right, the spot of fake fluid has had no effect.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54The E. coli is still growing unchecked.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58The counterfeit product has no antimicrobial activity at all.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03If the product that they're using is not killing E. coli,
0:42:03 > 0:42:07then it's not going to kill other pathogenic diseases,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10in other words they will be present, and they will cause problems.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12Gut disorders,
0:42:12 > 0:42:13diarrhoea,
0:42:13 > 0:42:14dysentery.
0:42:16 > 0:42:17It's not doing the job.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22No-one knows how many bottles of fake fluid have made their way
0:42:22 > 0:42:25onto the market, and how many people have been put at risk.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29But, having seen the results of the test,
0:42:29 > 0:42:33Barry and Sue now realise they have had a lucky escape.
0:42:33 > 0:42:39It's frightening to find that we were just using coloured water.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42It is horrifying.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Everybody knows it's there for a reason,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47to protect you from diseases,
0:42:47 > 0:42:51and how anybody could do this to you is unbelievable.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.