Episode 4

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0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is as it seems.

0:00:05 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.

0:00:20 > 0:00:22- Get down! Get down! - Get on the floor now.

0:00:22 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now.

0:00:24 > 0:00:27Here, at the Fake Britain house,

0:00:27 > 0:00:30we'll reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,

0:00:30 > 0:00:34conning people like you and me, and making money for the criminals.

0:00:34 > 0:00:36We'll investigate the fraudsters who are selling us something

0:00:36 > 0:00:39that 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 > 0:00:46Today, on Fake Britain,

0:00:46 > 0:00:50the fake hoverboards catching fire in people's homes...

0:00:50 > 0:00:54There was, like, a bang and the flame shot up above my head.

0:00:54 > 0:00:56..Trading Standards find the unexpected

0:00:56 > 0:01:00whilst searching for fake cigarettes...

0:01:00 > 0:01:02That's poppy bulbs, isn't it?

0:01:02 > 0:01:04Poppies are the unrefined part of heroin.

0:01:04 > 0:01:08..the fake designer jackets that will leave you out of pocket...

0:01:08 > 0:01:12This is partly glued, not stitched. It's rubbish.

0:01:12 > 0:01:17..and the jewellery that could be worthless.

0:01:17 > 0:01:20I'm really sorry to say that this is a fake.

0:01:25 > 0:01:30You may have seen someone whizzing past you on one of these.

0:01:30 > 0:01:31It's a self-balancing scooter,

0:01:31 > 0:01:34but it's usually called a hoverboard or Swegway -

0:01:34 > 0:01:37one of those latest must-haves.

0:01:37 > 0:01:40Of course, the fakers, they know an opportunity when they see one.

0:01:40 > 0:01:41Fashions ebb and flow,

0:01:41 > 0:01:44and they're always quick to follow, so they've been churning out

0:01:44 > 0:01:47thousands of fake boards to make money

0:01:47 > 0:01:49while these are still popular.

0:01:49 > 0:01:50But people don't realise -

0:01:50 > 0:01:53these fakes are potentially dangerous.

0:01:56 > 0:02:00The hoverboard is a futuristic means of travel

0:02:00 > 0:02:02that has captured the public imagination,

0:02:02 > 0:02:06but when Trading Standards tested 38,000 of the boards,

0:02:06 > 0:02:09they found nearly 85% of them were unsafe

0:02:09 > 0:02:13and many had fake safety markings.

0:02:13 > 0:02:15As a result, major retailers across the UK

0:02:15 > 0:02:19stopped selling hoverboards and issued recalls

0:02:19 > 0:02:21because of those safety concerns,

0:02:21 > 0:02:24but hoverboards can still be bought online,

0:02:24 > 0:02:27and that means they could be coming to a seaside town near you.

0:02:29 > 0:02:30Not far from the Cornish coast,

0:02:30 > 0:02:33Anthony Goodman and his children were about to experience

0:02:33 > 0:02:35the full force of the fake.

0:02:35 > 0:02:40I'd come over to look after the kids that night.

0:02:40 > 0:02:44My son is doing a photography course at school

0:02:44 > 0:02:46and the idea was to take some photos.

0:02:48 > 0:02:51Anthony's son Jordan and his friend Lewis

0:02:51 > 0:02:54were using a hoverboard for the project.

0:02:54 > 0:02:57We basically went out and the first, like,

0:02:57 > 0:03:00five minutes of going out, it just turned off,

0:03:00 > 0:03:04and it was really weird so we got really confused.

0:03:04 > 0:03:07We tried turning it on and off to see if that was the reason,

0:03:07 > 0:03:10but it wouldn't turn back on.

0:03:10 > 0:03:13Thinking that the board might need more of a charge,

0:03:13 > 0:03:16they brought it home and took it upstairs to plug it in.

0:03:18 > 0:03:21Anthony's otherwise peaceful day

0:03:21 > 0:03:25was about to be interrupted when his daughter Amber started shouting.

0:03:25 > 0:03:28I was sat watching the telly and I heard Amber shout.

0:03:28 > 0:03:29Dad!

0:03:29 > 0:03:31I thought it was just the usual Amber, you know,

0:03:31 > 0:03:36playing with her mate upstairs, and then she shouted again,

0:03:36 > 0:03:37but this time there was panic in her voice

0:03:37 > 0:03:40so I ran upstairs as fast as I could.

0:03:43 > 0:03:45And when I ran in there,

0:03:45 > 0:03:48there was smoke pouring out the side of the Swegway.

0:03:48 > 0:03:52Within seconds, there was a bang and the flame shot up above my head.

0:03:52 > 0:03:53Um...

0:03:55 > 0:03:57I shouted to Amber, "Get me some towels," you know, wet towels.

0:03:57 > 0:04:00That's all I could think of doing.

0:04:00 > 0:04:05Anthony hoped his quick thinking would help to contain the situation.

0:04:05 > 0:04:09But then there was another explosion and that blew the towel off.

0:04:09 > 0:04:12I kept putting towels on. There was about eight towels in the end.

0:04:12 > 0:04:14Every time, there was another explosion.

0:04:14 > 0:04:18They were going off like fireworks, like rockets, and each time,

0:04:18 > 0:04:20the flames were up in the air

0:04:20 > 0:04:23and bits of metal were flying all over the room.

0:04:24 > 0:04:26Within the lithium batteries that power these boards

0:04:26 > 0:04:31are around 20 individual cells the size of AA batteries.

0:04:31 > 0:04:33Anthony was seeing the individual cells

0:04:33 > 0:04:37exploding one by one in his direction.

0:04:37 > 0:04:40I said, "Amber, you need to get out."

0:04:40 > 0:04:43As Amber turned to go,

0:04:43 > 0:04:46it exploded and one of the batteries actually bounced off her leg,

0:04:46 > 0:04:50hit the door and then started a fire just behind me.

0:04:50 > 0:04:52The flames were coming everywhere.

0:04:52 > 0:04:55It was really quite frightening.

0:04:55 > 0:04:59The faulty board had set the bedroom carpet on fire.

0:04:59 > 0:05:01Dad was yelling, "Get water! Get water!"

0:05:01 > 0:05:05All I could see was smoke. It smelled like fire and smoke.

0:05:06 > 0:05:08About the fourth or fifth jug,

0:05:08 > 0:05:12the explosions stopped and it was just sizzling.

0:05:12 > 0:05:14Lots of smoke.

0:05:14 > 0:05:17With it smouldering, I just instinctively grabbed it,

0:05:17 > 0:05:20wrapped it in the towels and ran downstairs

0:05:20 > 0:05:22and threw out in the garden.

0:05:22 > 0:05:25Anthony had done exactly the right thing.

0:05:25 > 0:05:29Whilst water should never be used to extinguish an electrical fire,

0:05:29 > 0:05:31it does work effectively to neutralise

0:05:31 > 0:05:36a lithium-ion battery fire by cooling down the cells.

0:05:36 > 0:05:38Anthony called the fire brigade

0:05:38 > 0:05:41who checked the house to make sure there was no further danger.

0:05:41 > 0:05:43He was finally able to survey the damage

0:05:43 > 0:05:45and the device that had caused it.

0:05:45 > 0:05:48The thought of what it could have done to my family,

0:05:48 > 0:05:51especially if it had been left in, charging overnight,

0:05:51 > 0:05:54I don't know what would've happened

0:05:54 > 0:05:58but I don't think there would have been a house,

0:05:58 > 0:06:00because it was that intense.

0:06:00 > 0:06:01It was frightening.

0:06:01 > 0:06:04I've never, ever gone through anything like that.

0:06:05 > 0:06:08Anthony immediately contacted Sherry Carter

0:06:08 > 0:06:11from Cornwall Trading Standards about his ordeal.

0:06:11 > 0:06:13It's her job to investigate dangerous products

0:06:13 > 0:06:17that have been unwittingly purchased by members of the public,

0:06:17 > 0:06:20but in this case, there wasn't much left to look at.

0:06:20 > 0:06:22All the wires have melted

0:06:22 > 0:06:25that would've gone into each individual battery to charge them.

0:06:25 > 0:06:29The batteries have corroded completely here,

0:06:29 > 0:06:32and then the metal and the plastic have just congealed together

0:06:32 > 0:06:34and there are still batteries

0:06:34 > 0:06:36actually with the plastic melted around them.

0:06:36 > 0:06:39We also have a lot more batteries that came out of this.

0:06:41 > 0:06:45You can see that the debris and the melted coating

0:06:45 > 0:06:46to the plastic that was left.

0:06:46 > 0:06:49This family is extremely lucky that it was caught in time

0:06:49 > 0:06:51and the fire brigade were able to help them.

0:06:51 > 0:06:55A product this dangerous shouldn't carry safety markings.

0:06:55 > 0:07:00If people see CE markings, Kitemarks on products,

0:07:00 > 0:07:04they generally have the right to believe that those are safe,

0:07:04 > 0:07:06or in this particular case, as you can see,

0:07:06 > 0:07:09that's more than likely a counterfeit mark

0:07:09 > 0:07:11and has just been applied to the packaging.

0:07:13 > 0:07:17Sherry is concerned about how many other dangerous hoverboards

0:07:17 > 0:07:20could be coming into the country.

0:07:20 > 0:07:24When a toy like this has such high profile,

0:07:24 > 0:07:27then organised crime and organised criminals, for example,

0:07:27 > 0:07:28will make money.

0:07:28 > 0:07:32So, what happens is they get imported into the UK

0:07:32 > 0:07:34and bought as genuine presents,

0:07:34 > 0:07:38but they are really dangerous items and continue to be recalled.

0:07:39 > 0:07:42Across the world, there have been dozens of reports

0:07:42 > 0:07:46of explosions and fires linked to dangerous hoverboards.

0:07:46 > 0:07:49Big retailers like John Lewis and Halfords

0:07:49 > 0:07:51have recalled all their hoverboards,

0:07:51 > 0:07:55and it's now illegal to ride them on public pavements in Britain.

0:07:55 > 0:07:58But the boards remain popular

0:07:58 > 0:08:00and they're still for sale on the internet.

0:08:00 > 0:08:03A quick search brings up thousands of listings.

0:08:05 > 0:08:08Many of the fakes arrive here by ship at the port of Felixstowe,

0:08:08 > 0:08:12the busiest container port in the country.

0:08:12 > 0:08:16And today, Carol Garrett and her team from Suffolk Trading Standards

0:08:16 > 0:08:20have intercepted a container with a suspicious load.

0:08:20 > 0:08:23And we're just going to wait for the port staff

0:08:23 > 0:08:27to open up the container and check that it's safe for us to go in,

0:08:27 > 0:08:28there are no suspicious gases.

0:08:31 > 0:08:36Gases that are dangerous to breathe can build up inside containers.

0:08:36 > 0:08:39These could come from chemicals in the goods

0:08:39 > 0:08:42being transported or from plastic packaging in the cargo,

0:08:42 > 0:08:45so a probe is inserted into the container

0:08:45 > 0:08:47to check that it's safe to open.

0:08:47 > 0:08:52From here, I can use these bellows to draw air through the tubes

0:08:52 > 0:08:55to test for the gas.

0:08:58 > 0:09:00It's safe, so the team gets the go-ahead

0:09:00 > 0:09:02to enter the container

0:09:02 > 0:09:04where they find thousands of unmarked boxes

0:09:04 > 0:09:07thought to contain hoverboards.

0:09:07 > 0:09:10I can tell you instantly that the external packaging of this

0:09:10 > 0:09:14particular product is identical to the packaging of other ones

0:09:14 > 0:09:17that have been assessed as unsafe.

0:09:17 > 0:09:19Carol has seen these hoverboards before.

0:09:19 > 0:09:22They appear to be the same type as fakes

0:09:22 > 0:09:25that have exploded in unsuspecting consumers' homes,

0:09:25 > 0:09:28but they can be dangerous in other ways.

0:09:28 > 0:09:31A compliant safe plug,

0:09:31 > 0:09:33you should not be able to see any red around the plug.

0:09:33 > 0:09:36The risk with having any of the red showing means

0:09:36 > 0:09:38that you've got a risk of putting your fingers

0:09:38 > 0:09:40around the plug as you put it into the socket

0:09:40 > 0:09:42and the risk of electric shock.

0:09:42 > 0:09:45We have a fake test laboratory mark on it

0:09:45 > 0:09:47for a test laboratory that doesn't exist.

0:09:47 > 0:09:48They will put marks on in the hope that

0:09:48 > 0:09:51that will convince us that the product is compliant.

0:09:51 > 0:09:54The power charger, I know that this, according to the labelling here,

0:09:54 > 0:09:58is identical to a power charger that we've already sampled

0:09:58 > 0:10:02and had tested, and that charger was assessed as unsafe.

0:10:02 > 0:10:05All the indications to date are this is a false CE mark.

0:10:05 > 0:10:08Overall, the CE marking for this as a product

0:10:08 > 0:10:11in its entirety is false, and therefore we would consider that

0:10:11 > 0:10:13to be a fake CE marking and a noncompliance.

0:10:13 > 0:10:17As demand for hoverboards continues,

0:10:17 > 0:10:20Carol Garrett and her team at Felixstowe Port

0:10:20 > 0:10:24are fighting an ongoing battle against the fakers.

0:10:24 > 0:10:27They've seized over 20,000 unsafe hoverboards so far.

0:10:27 > 0:10:29Consumers are at great risk.

0:10:29 > 0:10:32We have seen explosions and major house fires

0:10:32 > 0:10:34as a result of these types of products.

0:10:36 > 0:10:38But might what cause these fake hoverboards to explode?

0:10:38 > 0:10:41- BEEPING - No, it's failed.

0:10:41 > 0:10:44You're effectively carrying around several hundred small bombs.

0:10:44 > 0:10:47Coming up, we find out just what makes them so dangerous.

0:10:54 > 0:10:56Trading Standards and the police

0:10:56 > 0:10:59are constantly fighting back against the fakers.

0:10:59 > 0:11:01They're trying to track down this kind of fake.

0:11:01 > 0:11:04We recently followed Wolverhampton Trading Standards teams

0:11:04 > 0:11:08on a major operation as they crack down on fake cigarettes,

0:11:08 > 0:11:11but as we found out in the world of fakery,

0:11:11 > 0:11:14there are often some very surprising discoveries.

0:11:16 > 0:11:20It's daybreak in Wolverhampton and teams from Trading Standards

0:11:20 > 0:11:23and the police are gathering for a major operation.

0:11:23 > 0:11:27They're about to launch a crackdown on fake and illegal cigarettes,

0:11:27 > 0:11:31but on a day like this, they have no idea what else they might find.

0:11:31 > 0:11:35What we'll be looking for is counterfeit or fake, illegal,

0:11:35 > 0:11:37non-duty paid tobacco.

0:11:37 > 0:11:40There are over 50 officers here from several different departments,

0:11:40 > 0:11:43including the police, Trading Standards and Immigration,

0:11:43 > 0:11:45because where there's fakery,

0:11:45 > 0:11:49other types of criminal activity may not be far away.

0:11:49 > 0:11:50Come on, guys. Let's go.

0:11:50 > 0:11:52The officers have been split into teams.

0:11:52 > 0:11:54One team is headed up

0:11:54 > 0:11:58by senior Trading Standards officer Stefan Polatajko.

0:11:58 > 0:12:00The other is led by head

0:12:00 > 0:12:04of Wolverhampton Trading Standards Paul Dosanjh.

0:12:04 > 0:12:07We're on our way now to the area of Wolverhampton.

0:12:07 > 0:12:11We've got intelligence generally around the area of fake cigarettes.

0:12:11 > 0:12:14We're particularly on the lookout for specially-made brands

0:12:14 > 0:12:17with a fake market which have been linked with the fact

0:12:17 > 0:12:20that they don't extinguish and they actually raise fire hazards.

0:12:20 > 0:12:22People fall asleep smoking these things

0:12:22 > 0:12:24and they wake up in a blazing inferno.

0:12:26 > 0:12:27But in the search for fakes,

0:12:27 > 0:12:31the teams also have to be prepared to find anything and everything.

0:12:31 > 0:12:32It's a large operation

0:12:32 > 0:12:35because we're looking at those issues of general criminality -

0:12:35 > 0:12:37drugs, general Trading Standards issues and immigration -

0:12:37 > 0:12:40so it's the broad sweep here.

0:12:40 > 0:12:43Today, the teams will be targeting a range of shops

0:12:43 > 0:12:44looking in all the secret places

0:12:44 > 0:12:47where fakers might hide illegal goods.

0:12:48 > 0:12:50OK, well, typically what we find behind the shop counter

0:12:50 > 0:12:52is the usual sort of detritus and mess -

0:12:52 > 0:12:54newspapers, receipt books.

0:12:54 > 0:12:56It's often where we find cigarettes.

0:12:56 > 0:13:00And the fakers can go to great lengths to avoid detection.

0:13:00 > 0:13:03Sometimes the counter will have a false compartment.

0:13:03 > 0:13:05It'll just look part of the shelving,

0:13:05 > 0:13:07but actually what you'll find is tap or a knock of the switch

0:13:07 > 0:13:09will open up a compartment

0:13:09 > 0:13:12which is specifically designed for that concealment.

0:13:14 > 0:13:17To help identify any possible secret hiding places,

0:13:17 > 0:13:20the team are using a special camera

0:13:20 > 0:13:24that allows them to see behind units and into small spaces.

0:13:24 > 0:13:26It's basically a camera on a wire,

0:13:26 > 0:13:29so if there's something like a little alcove that...

0:13:29 > 0:13:32Well, rather than pulling all the shelving out,

0:13:32 > 0:13:35we can just pop it in and see if there's anything there.

0:13:35 > 0:13:38And Buster the tobacco dog is on hand

0:13:38 > 0:13:41to sniff out any illegality.

0:13:41 > 0:13:44The dog showed some interest in these two top shelves...

0:13:46 > 0:13:48..so we'll go through them again.

0:13:49 > 0:13:53So far, the hunt for fake cigarettes hasn't turned up any results,

0:13:53 > 0:13:57but it has uncovered something completely unexpected

0:13:57 > 0:13:59and very suspicious.

0:14:00 > 0:14:04- We've got boxes here with poppy heads on them.- That's the one.

0:14:04 > 0:14:07So, what are in these bags then?

0:14:07 > 0:14:10- That's poppy bulbs, isn't it?- Yeah.

0:14:10 > 0:14:15Finding poppy bulbs and a blender in this storeroom is very unusual.

0:14:15 > 0:14:18It's difficult to know what's going on.

0:14:18 > 0:14:20Poppies are a source of opium,

0:14:20 > 0:14:24which is the unrefined part of heroin.

0:14:24 > 0:14:28- This is quite a large quantity, isn't it?- Yeah.

0:14:28 > 0:14:31Cos that... I would say that bag is also full of it.

0:14:33 > 0:14:35That's actually the poppy itself.

0:14:37 > 0:14:41It's not clear if these husks are from opium poppies.

0:14:41 > 0:14:44In the UK, it's illegal to possess dried seed pods

0:14:44 > 0:14:49and other parts of opium poppies and to extract the opium from them.

0:14:49 > 0:14:52Poppy husks can be used to make poppy tea -

0:14:52 > 0:14:54a drink which is also illegal.

0:14:54 > 0:14:56Drinking it can be lethal.

0:14:56 > 0:14:59In fact, since 2003, it's been linked to the deaths

0:14:59 > 0:15:01of at least eight people.

0:15:01 > 0:15:05- 50, 60 bags of this. - Yeah.- Maybe more.

0:15:05 > 0:15:07It's a highly unusual discovery

0:15:07 > 0:15:11for a team which set out to find illegal and fake tobacco.

0:15:11 > 0:15:13Investigations are ongoing.

0:15:13 > 0:15:16Large quantities indicate some sort of processing,

0:15:16 > 0:15:18and I don't know what sort you'd do with poppy heads.

0:15:20 > 0:15:22Is that a blender there?

0:15:22 > 0:15:26The way it's been kept at the back in a storeroom that isn't lit

0:15:26 > 0:15:29and the fact that it's quite difficult to get into it

0:15:29 > 0:15:32just makes us slightly concerned about it.

0:15:32 > 0:15:36In another shop, Trading Standards officer Stefan Polatajko

0:15:36 > 0:15:40is still searching for fake and illegal cigarettes.

0:15:40 > 0:15:41Hiya. Good morning.

0:15:41 > 0:15:44And it's not long before they find

0:15:44 > 0:15:47the dangerous fake Jin Ling cigarettes

0:15:47 > 0:15:49that they set out to look for.

0:15:49 > 0:15:51In addition to the hazards of smoking,

0:15:51 > 0:15:54this cigarette will not self-extinguish either,

0:15:54 > 0:15:58so it can result in it being left burning,

0:15:58 > 0:16:00which has happened in somebody's house

0:16:00 > 0:16:02when the house has burned down.

0:16:02 > 0:16:05This fake brand of cigarettes has been linked to the death

0:16:05 > 0:16:07of a woman in Lincolnshire whose house caught fire

0:16:07 > 0:16:11after she fell asleep while smoking.

0:16:11 > 0:16:12And behind the counter,

0:16:12 > 0:16:15the team have found more illegal tobacco products.

0:16:15 > 0:16:18These are German.

0:16:18 > 0:16:21It's from Germany cos the warning signs are in German.

0:16:21 > 0:16:24This is tobacco. This is tobacco blunt. It's a roll.

0:16:24 > 0:16:25- Oh, yeah.- Yeah.

0:16:25 > 0:16:28It's like pre-rolled and then you put your loose tobacco inside.

0:16:28 > 0:16:29..something like this.

0:16:29 > 0:16:32Because these blunt wraps contain tobacco,

0:16:32 > 0:16:34they must meet strict regulations,

0:16:34 > 0:16:39but these ones don't have the safety warnings required by law.

0:16:39 > 0:16:43They were written in German so they can't be sold in this country.

0:16:44 > 0:16:48While the search for fake and illegal tobacco progresses nearby,

0:16:48 > 0:16:50another team have found a locked door

0:16:50 > 0:16:53and are wondering what's behind it.

0:16:53 > 0:16:55The heavy padlock on this door makes them think

0:16:55 > 0:16:58it could be hiding something they need to see,

0:16:58 > 0:17:01and there's only one way to find out.

0:17:03 > 0:17:05PC Jonathan Peters makes short work of getting in.

0:17:12 > 0:17:14It seems this boarded-up room

0:17:14 > 0:17:18is being lived in and the occupier has left the fire on.

0:17:18 > 0:17:20Even worse, there's a paper bag right next to it

0:17:20 > 0:17:23which could easily have caught fire.

0:17:23 > 0:17:26This flat is clearly not fit for human habitation.

0:17:26 > 0:17:29If you look outside, all the doors and windows were boarded up.

0:17:29 > 0:17:31It doesn't look like a dwelling. Look at the kitchen.

0:17:31 > 0:17:33The window is broken.

0:17:35 > 0:17:38You might never guess from the outside

0:17:38 > 0:17:41that there are in fact people living here.

0:17:41 > 0:17:42The window has been boarded up.

0:17:42 > 0:17:46In fact, there's no glass on the other side of that thing.

0:17:48 > 0:17:51The conditions here are at best unhealthy

0:17:51 > 0:17:53and at worst downright dangerous.

0:17:53 > 0:17:57It's clearly not safe to be renting this out.

0:17:57 > 0:18:00I mean, there's no fire alarm in here. There's no fire exit.

0:18:00 > 0:18:02There's just the one door.

0:18:02 > 0:18:04If there was a fire here, how would somebody get out?

0:18:04 > 0:18:08Teams looking for evidence of fakery can often come across

0:18:08 > 0:18:10other things they hadn't expected.

0:18:10 > 0:18:13Sergeant Jake Flanigan can't help but wonder

0:18:13 > 0:18:16who would choose to live in a place like this.

0:18:16 > 0:18:19In our experience, we say that this has been used by people

0:18:19 > 0:18:22potentially being exploited, not got a work visa,

0:18:22 > 0:18:25being kept in fairly shoddy conditions illegally.

0:18:25 > 0:18:27They don't complain.

0:18:27 > 0:18:29They don't understand the quality of living

0:18:29 > 0:18:32that they are entitled to or should rightly expect.

0:18:32 > 0:18:35They're exploited by unscrupulous landlords.

0:18:35 > 0:18:39And it just goes to show doing this license enforcement activity

0:18:39 > 0:18:41you uncover places like this.

0:18:42 > 0:18:44Back downstairs, Stefan Polatajko and his team

0:18:44 > 0:18:49have found more evidence of fake and illegal tobacco.

0:18:49 > 0:18:53- There's 20 times more than that out there in the bin, right?- Right.

0:18:53 > 0:18:57And they're all "Cigarettes," "Tar," "Dioxide," "Monoxide."

0:18:57 > 0:19:00They've found shredded cigarette cartons -

0:19:00 > 0:19:03the outer packaging that usually contains individual packets

0:19:03 > 0:19:05of cigarettes.

0:19:05 > 0:19:09- Cardboard out of 200.- Mm.

0:19:09 > 0:19:12They've just gotten rid of the evidence by shredding it.

0:19:12 > 0:19:17The shredding seemed to be from packets of fake Mayfair cigarettes.

0:19:17 > 0:19:20Even with English warnings, they could be counterfeit.

0:19:20 > 0:19:24Mayfair is a brand that's commonly counterfeited.

0:19:24 > 0:19:29And Buster the tobacco dog is keen to get his nose into the find, too.

0:19:29 > 0:19:32What he's smelling is the shredded packets

0:19:32 > 0:19:33there of the illicit tobacco.

0:19:33 > 0:19:35So, he's just showing interest on there

0:19:35 > 0:19:37cos that will still hold the smell.

0:19:37 > 0:19:40The shreddings will be seized as evidence.

0:19:40 > 0:19:42We have got an indication that the fake cigarettes

0:19:42 > 0:19:46have sort of gone through this premises at some point

0:19:46 > 0:19:49because they're looking like they're sort of very carefully destroying

0:19:49 > 0:19:51potential evidence.

0:19:51 > 0:19:53At the end of a busy day,

0:19:53 > 0:19:56there have been a few successes and a few surprises.

0:19:56 > 0:19:59While the police are still dealing with the mysteries

0:19:59 > 0:20:01of the poppy heads and the illegal dwelling,

0:20:01 > 0:20:04other teams have found more fake and illegal tobacco,

0:20:04 > 0:20:08including a few more unusual products.

0:20:08 > 0:20:10We think it's been quite a good day's work.

0:20:10 > 0:20:13That's just a small sample of our haul today.

0:20:13 > 0:20:15As well as fake cigarettes,

0:20:15 > 0:20:17they found other dangerous substances.

0:20:17 > 0:20:20So, what we've got here is effectively sucking tobacco.

0:20:20 > 0:20:22What you do is you have it in the cavity of your mouth

0:20:22 > 0:20:24between your cheek and your gum.

0:20:24 > 0:20:27There's an outright ban on that because there's a concern

0:20:27 > 0:20:29that prolonged exposure to that tobacco

0:20:29 > 0:20:32in that sensitive part of your mouth will give you oral cancer.

0:20:32 > 0:20:35And it would appear that the fakers went to great lengths

0:20:35 > 0:20:37to hide their contraband goods.

0:20:37 > 0:20:40These are rather mischievously put

0:20:40 > 0:20:42in a Glenfiddich bottle, fake whisky.

0:20:42 > 0:20:45So, perhaps you wouldn't look in there, but if you see,

0:20:45 > 0:20:48you'll see that they're absolutely packed with blunts,

0:20:48 > 0:20:50which are sort of cigar wraps,

0:20:50 > 0:20:52and there are more in the bag that it came from.

0:20:52 > 0:20:56So, again, not concealment in a false wall,

0:20:56 > 0:20:58but certainly concealment in a bottle of spirits.

0:20:58 > 0:20:59And plenty there, so it suggests

0:20:59 > 0:21:01that there's a roaring trade being done.

0:21:01 > 0:21:04The shredded packaging found earlier hints at further attempts

0:21:04 > 0:21:08to conceal the sale of fake cigarettes.

0:21:08 > 0:21:10They have been split up, all that packaging around them,

0:21:10 > 0:21:14and someone has tried to do this so that there's no trace.

0:21:14 > 0:21:18As yet, no charges have been brought in relation to the poppy heads

0:21:18 > 0:21:21discovered in the back of the first shop.

0:21:21 > 0:21:23Trading Standards are still investigating.

0:21:23 > 0:21:25The landlord of the padlocked flat

0:21:25 > 0:21:28was advised that he must make the property safe.

0:21:28 > 0:21:32When the housing team visited later, it was no longer being rented out.

0:21:39 > 0:21:41Earlier, we saw how a fake hoverboard

0:21:41 > 0:21:43put one family's life at risk...

0:21:43 > 0:21:45Every time, there was another explosion.

0:21:45 > 0:21:48They were going off like fireworks, like rockets. It was frightening.

0:21:48 > 0:21:51..and how thousands of fakes are being seized

0:21:51 > 0:21:54by Trading Standards at British ports.

0:21:54 > 0:21:57We have seen examples of products of this type exploding,

0:21:57 > 0:21:59so consumers are at great risk.

0:21:59 > 0:22:02We wanted to find out more about

0:22:02 > 0:22:04what could make a hoverboard so dangerous,

0:22:04 > 0:22:08so we took one to electrical expert Ray Jeffries

0:22:08 > 0:22:10at testing lab Intertek.

0:22:10 > 0:22:14First, Ray takes a look inside the hoverboard

0:22:14 > 0:22:17and specifically the lithium battery that powers it.

0:22:19 > 0:22:23All in all, this looks like a fairly well-made battery pack.

0:22:23 > 0:22:26Does look to be quite well manufactured.

0:22:26 > 0:22:29The battery might look OK, but lithium batteries can explode

0:22:29 > 0:22:34if they're overcharged and that could be caused by a faulty charger.

0:22:34 > 0:22:37So, Ray will carry out an electric strength test

0:22:37 > 0:22:40on the charger that comes with this board.

0:22:40 > 0:22:43The charger or power supply should have insulation

0:22:43 > 0:22:46from the mains supply that would prevent the user

0:22:46 > 0:22:49from getting an electric shock.

0:22:49 > 0:22:50For the charger to pass,

0:22:50 > 0:22:54Ray should be able to send up to 3,000 volts through it

0:22:54 > 0:22:57while the end that plugs into the hoverboard remains safe.

0:22:57 > 0:23:01If it fails, the machine will trip,

0:23:01 > 0:23:04and it means that there is insufficient isolation

0:23:04 > 0:23:08between the mains and the pins here,

0:23:08 > 0:23:11which means that you could get mains on these pins

0:23:11 > 0:23:16with the consequence of possible electric shock or serious fire.

0:23:18 > 0:23:20Time to crank up the voltage.

0:23:23 > 0:23:26So far, so good.

0:23:31 > 0:23:34- BEEPING - Hello. Failed.

0:23:34 > 0:23:37But all of a sudden, it's game over.

0:23:37 > 0:23:40That failed at around 1,700 volts,

0:23:40 > 0:23:43which is approximately half of what it should be...

0:23:43 > 0:23:48which means it's possible you could get a serious electric shock.

0:23:48 > 0:23:53Further, if you plug this into the actual product itself

0:23:53 > 0:23:54and the breakdown occurred,

0:23:54 > 0:23:56it's possible it could also cause a serious fire

0:23:56 > 0:23:58and a lot of other damage as well.

0:23:58 > 0:24:03And that could mean bad news for the hoverboard battery.

0:24:03 > 0:24:05No matter how good the battery pack is,

0:24:05 > 0:24:08the serious danger here is the charger.

0:24:08 > 0:24:11We saw the breakdown, which could put high-voltage

0:24:11 > 0:24:14onto the terminals of the battery pack

0:24:14 > 0:24:16leading to a serious fire.

0:24:16 > 0:24:18There have been many different theories

0:24:18 > 0:24:22as to why hoverboard batteries have been exploding in family homes

0:24:22 > 0:24:25and out in public across the world.

0:24:25 > 0:24:29But what is clear is the danger if one exploded next to others

0:24:29 > 0:24:32in the cargo hold of a ship or an airplane.

0:24:32 > 0:24:34I just want to try something

0:24:34 > 0:24:36- to see whether or not... - BEEPING

0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Well...- OVER SPEAKER: - 'Bluetooth Connecting.'

0:24:39 > 0:24:41That's surprising. It is actually charged.

0:24:41 > 0:24:43What concerns me about that

0:24:43 > 0:24:46is there are international requirements

0:24:46 > 0:24:49for transportation for batteries,

0:24:49 > 0:24:51because lithium batteries can be very dangerous

0:24:51 > 0:24:52in a transportation condition.

0:24:52 > 0:24:54It's thought that fully-charged batteries

0:24:54 > 0:24:56are more dangerous in transit

0:24:56 > 0:25:00if they explode as they contain more energy.

0:25:00 > 0:25:04New regulations state that lithium batteries shipped by air

0:25:04 > 0:25:07should be no more than 30% charged.

0:25:07 > 0:25:09This one could be full.

0:25:09 > 0:25:12I very much suspect that this product has never had

0:25:12 > 0:25:16the batteries tested to the relevant standards.

0:25:16 > 0:25:18Therefore you're effectively carrying around

0:25:18 > 0:25:20several hundred small bombs inside a container.

0:25:21 > 0:25:23We went to see Geoff Leach

0:25:23 > 0:25:25at the International Fire Training Centre

0:25:25 > 0:25:27in County Durham.

0:25:27 > 0:25:32He's an expert in the transportation of dangerous goods.

0:25:32 > 0:25:34Lithium batteries have become the batteries of choice

0:25:34 > 0:25:37to power our laptops and mobile phones and e-readers,

0:25:37 > 0:25:40and when they're manufactured by reputable companies

0:25:40 > 0:25:43to very high standards, the safety records are outstanding.

0:25:43 > 0:25:46Unfortunately, there are a number of batteries out there

0:25:46 > 0:25:49that are poor quality, maybe counterfeit,

0:25:49 > 0:25:50that pose a real danger to us.

0:25:50 > 0:25:56Fake or damaged lithium batteries can become unstable and explode.

0:25:56 > 0:25:59Geoff will run a test that mimics what could happen

0:25:59 > 0:26:02if a lithium battery stored in ship or plane cargo

0:26:02 > 0:26:05develops a catastrophic fault.

0:26:05 > 0:26:07So, in our test today we're going to attempt

0:26:07 > 0:26:12to get it to demonstrate the energy that's contained in these devices.

0:26:32 > 0:26:34If you're thinking of buying a hoverboard,

0:26:34 > 0:26:39the Charted Trading Standards Institute advises extreme caution.

0:26:39 > 0:26:41Remain vigilant at all times

0:26:41 > 0:26:44and never leave the device unattended whilst charging.

0:26:44 > 0:26:46There's a few more cells to go.

0:27:00 > 0:27:03The results today were really quite dramatic.

0:27:03 > 0:27:07The energy released was quite significant.

0:27:07 > 0:27:10We saw a number of cells rocketing from the hoverboard,

0:27:10 > 0:27:12and one can only imagine that if this were to happen

0:27:12 > 0:27:15in perhaps a shipping container with other hoverboards,

0:27:15 > 0:27:17other battery-powered devices,

0:27:17 > 0:27:19or even in the hold of an aircraft,

0:27:19 > 0:27:23clearly that could potentially lead to a catastrophic situation.

0:27:28 > 0:27:33Take a look at this intricate and beautifully handcrafted bead.

0:27:33 > 0:27:35It's also known as a Trollbead,

0:27:35 > 0:27:39and they come in many different shapes and colours and designs.

0:27:39 > 0:27:41It can be worn on a bracelet or necklace.

0:27:41 > 0:27:45Trollbeads can cost well over £200 and lots of people collect them.

0:27:45 > 0:27:48Of course, the fakers know that too.

0:27:48 > 0:27:51So, you would waste your money collecting this one

0:27:51 > 0:27:52because it's a fake.

0:27:52 > 0:27:54As we're about to find out,

0:27:54 > 0:27:59lifelong collectors can still be fooled by the fakes.

0:27:59 > 0:28:01These are Trollbeads.

0:28:01 > 0:28:04They're intricate beads that have soared in popularity

0:28:04 > 0:28:07and now sell in their thousands from leading department stores

0:28:07 > 0:28:10and jewellers across the country.

0:28:10 > 0:28:13Made of glass or precious metals like sterling silver,

0:28:13 > 0:28:18they can be mixed and matched to create their own individual pieces.

0:28:18 > 0:28:20Sophie Lilith from Glasgow

0:28:20 > 0:28:22and Sandra Pickthall from West Sussex

0:28:22 > 0:28:25are both fans of Trollbeads.

0:28:25 > 0:28:28This is my collection of Trollbeads.

0:28:28 > 0:28:32Treated myself to this box for Christmas cos I had so many.

0:28:32 > 0:28:36I've been collecting for about four years now, roughly,

0:28:36 > 0:28:40and as for how many, I've never actually counted them.

0:28:40 > 0:28:41Over 100, certainly.

0:28:41 > 0:28:44Amongst the most popular bead designs are the animals

0:28:44 > 0:28:49which come in pairs - head and tail - like this fish.

0:28:49 > 0:28:52Sandra already has the cat set,

0:28:52 > 0:28:55but she recently bought another that she found online.

0:28:55 > 0:29:00However, when it arrived, something wasn't quite right.

0:29:00 > 0:29:05These are what came in the post, and it's completely wrong.

0:29:05 > 0:29:08I don't even know whether it's silver or not.

0:29:08 > 0:29:12Sandra has doubts about the cat beads, clearly,

0:29:12 > 0:29:15and they're leading her to question some of the other beads

0:29:15 > 0:29:17she's bought from the same online seller.

0:29:17 > 0:29:20Unfortunately, I bought three other beads.

0:29:20 > 0:29:24I have no way of telling whether these are fake or genuine.

0:29:25 > 0:29:30Sophie has also become concerned about two of her Trollbeads

0:29:30 > 0:29:32which are shaped like trees.

0:29:32 > 0:29:38They've got seams in the silver where it's been cast,

0:29:38 > 0:29:40which Trollbeads don't have.

0:29:40 > 0:29:43The colour is different between the two metals,

0:29:43 > 0:29:51and worst of all, the chain does not even fit through this one.

0:29:51 > 0:29:57The first Trollbead was designed in 1976 by a Danish silversmith.

0:29:57 > 0:29:59It was decorated with troll faces,

0:29:59 > 0:30:04and as the collection grew, the name stuck.

0:30:04 > 0:30:06Today, there are hundreds of different designs

0:30:06 > 0:30:10costing from around 30 to over £1,000 each.

0:30:10 > 0:30:17But like any successful brand, they have a huge problem with fakes.

0:30:17 > 0:30:23Pam Aujla is the managing director of Trollbeads in the UK.

0:30:23 > 0:30:26The danger is that you get something that's substandard,

0:30:26 > 0:30:31it's not made to the same quality, it's not using genuine materials.

0:30:31 > 0:30:37It could be using base metals as opposed to sterling solid silver.

0:30:37 > 0:30:40It's not guaranteed, obviously, to last.

0:30:40 > 0:30:44The only way Sandra and Sophie can find out the truth

0:30:44 > 0:30:48about their Trollbeads is to have them verified by an expert,

0:30:48 > 0:30:51so today they've come to the Trollbeads store here in York

0:30:51 > 0:30:53to show them to Pam.

0:30:53 > 0:30:55- Hi.- Hi. Very nice to meet you. - Pleased to meet you.

0:30:55 > 0:31:00First, Pam examines Sandra's beads, starting with the cat.

0:31:00 > 0:31:03- This one definitely doesn't look right.- No.

0:31:03 > 0:31:07On the back of this, you can see how it's quite smooth,

0:31:07 > 0:31:11- so what we do is we finish off all of our beads by hand.- Oh, right.

0:31:11 > 0:31:16So, the little details that you get are quite difficult to replicate.

0:31:16 > 0:31:18To be completely sure,

0:31:18 > 0:31:20Pam compares the weight of Sandra's beads

0:31:20 > 0:31:22with one from the store.

0:31:22 > 0:31:26We take the top and the bottom of the cat.

0:31:26 > 0:31:27You can see that's 8.7.

0:31:29 > 0:31:32And we take the top and the bottom...

0:31:33 > 0:31:35..cat from the store.

0:31:35 > 0:31:38So, that's 10.9.

0:31:38 > 0:31:41I'm really sorry to say that this is a fake.

0:31:41 > 0:31:45- Really?- Yep.

0:31:45 > 0:31:48Sandra's beads are more than 20% lighter than the ones from the store

0:31:48 > 0:31:52which confirms they must be fake.

0:31:52 > 0:31:55And Pam has her doubts about what the second bead is made of.

0:31:55 > 0:32:01If it's not silver, it could contain potentially harmful metals.

0:32:01 > 0:32:04You do get quite a lot of people who are actually allergic

0:32:04 > 0:32:07to base metals, so if you don't get solid silver,

0:32:07 > 0:32:11that can also cause people issues with skin irritations.

0:32:12 > 0:32:17Pam has got bad news for Sandra about all her beads.

0:32:17 > 0:32:20All of these pieces are fake.

0:32:20 > 0:32:24I don't even know if they're worth anything as scrap metal.

0:32:24 > 0:32:27Sophie is hoping for better news with her beads.

0:32:27 > 0:32:30So, this is the one that you bought.

0:32:30 > 0:32:33This one is 6.6.

0:32:33 > 0:32:37The one from the store on, it's 9.7.

0:32:37 > 0:32:39- So, a huge difference.- Mm.

0:32:39 > 0:32:44I'm really sorry, Sophie, but these are both fakes.

0:32:45 > 0:32:49It's a frustrating result for all concerned.

0:32:49 > 0:32:51It's always really, really difficult

0:32:51 > 0:32:54when you have to break news like that to customers

0:32:54 > 0:32:59who love the brand and just want to get the genuine product.

0:32:59 > 0:33:02Sandra and Sophie's beads are definitely fake,

0:33:02 > 0:33:04but what are they actually made of?

0:33:05 > 0:33:07To find out, we took them to

0:33:07 > 0:33:09The Goldsmith's Company Assay Office,

0:33:09 > 0:33:12which has been hallmarking and testing precious metals

0:33:12 > 0:33:14for over 700 years.

0:33:15 > 0:33:19The tests will be carried out by head of training Dave Merry,

0:33:19 > 0:33:23and he's already spotted signs the beads may not be

0:33:23 > 0:33:25the sterling silver they claim to be.

0:33:27 > 0:33:28It's quite yellowy,

0:33:28 > 0:33:31which straightaway starts to give us worry.

0:33:31 > 0:33:34Some of the lesser metals are a more yellowy colour

0:33:34 > 0:33:36rather than that typical bright silver colour.

0:33:38 > 0:33:40If the beads aren't sterling silver,

0:33:40 > 0:33:43who knows what they could be made of?

0:33:43 > 0:33:46Sometimes they use quite hazardous materials,

0:33:46 > 0:33:51and in the past we have seen things like silver-plated lead products,

0:33:51 > 0:33:54and obviously lead is very poisonous.

0:33:54 > 0:33:57But obviously things like heavily nickel-plated

0:33:57 > 0:33:59on the surface, so you're obviously

0:33:59 > 0:34:01wearing the nickel next to your skin.

0:34:01 > 0:34:0560% of women are hypersensitive to nickel in the UK,

0:34:05 > 0:34:09so straightaway we have health hazards there as well.

0:34:09 > 0:34:13To find out if these beads do contain any harmful metals,

0:34:13 > 0:34:18Dave uses a special X-ray machine to analyse each one.

0:34:18 > 0:34:21Each of these peaks represents a different metal.

0:34:21 > 0:34:25If these Trollbeads are genuine, they'll be made of sterling silver,

0:34:25 > 0:34:28but Dave's tests quickly show that they aren't.

0:34:28 > 0:34:30They're fakes.

0:34:30 > 0:34:33The yellowy ones are actually brass.

0:34:33 > 0:34:36They have just a little trace element of nickel in them as well.

0:34:36 > 0:34:40Not sterling silver in any shape or form. Completely fake.

0:34:42 > 0:34:45Only one bead, the daisy, contained silver,

0:34:45 > 0:34:47and then it was only a tiny trace.

0:34:47 > 0:34:51The rest are all 100% base metals...

0:34:51 > 0:34:54worth only a tiny fraction of the hundreds of pounds

0:34:54 > 0:34:55Sandra and Sophie paid for them.

0:34:57 > 0:35:00I'm cross with myself as much as anything. I'm angry.

0:35:00 > 0:35:04I honestly thought that what I bought was genuine.

0:35:04 > 0:35:07It's not a nice feeling thinking there are people out there

0:35:07 > 0:35:10exploiting other people's good nature.

0:35:16 > 0:35:19Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, David Beckham,

0:35:19 > 0:35:22even the great Steve McQueen - they've all worn one of these.

0:35:22 > 0:35:24It's a Belstaff jacket.

0:35:24 > 0:35:26The brand started life as all-weather gear

0:35:26 > 0:35:29for motorcyclists, but now it's a fashion icon,

0:35:29 > 0:35:30and I've got one too.

0:35:30 > 0:35:33Well, not quite. This is a fashion faux pas, a fake.

0:35:33 > 0:35:37And as we found out, even fans can be fooled.

0:35:43 > 0:35:48It's an iconic brand that's become a great British success story.

0:35:48 > 0:35:53This is the classic kind of motorcycle dispatch riders coat.

0:35:53 > 0:35:55From humble beginnings,

0:35:55 > 0:35:58the Belstaff label is now synonymous with celebrity, glamour

0:35:58 > 0:36:00and a sense of adventure.

0:36:02 > 0:36:04'I'm falling up.'

0:36:05 > 0:36:08A-listers like David Beckham and Liv Tyler

0:36:08 > 0:36:09are all happy to promote them.

0:36:10 > 0:36:16This is the iconic Trialmaster, as worn by Steve McQueen.

0:36:16 > 0:36:19Douglas Gunn is a vintage clothing expert

0:36:19 > 0:36:22who has charted the brand's rise through the years.

0:36:22 > 0:36:24As Belstaff grew from the '20s,

0:36:24 > 0:36:29straightaway it really adopted quite a celebrity customer base,

0:36:29 > 0:36:32starting from really the first generation of aviators

0:36:32 > 0:36:34right through to Steve McQueen in the '50s.

0:36:36 > 0:36:39Vintage Belstaff jackets are a collector's item

0:36:39 > 0:36:43and can go for thousands of pounds at a time.

0:36:43 > 0:36:45Little surprise then that the fakers

0:36:45 > 0:36:48are now trying to capitalise on the premium that fashionistas pay

0:36:48 > 0:36:50to own a jacket like this...

0:36:52 > 0:36:55..as Darren Williams from Wales discovered.

0:36:55 > 0:36:58I started collecting jackets many years ago

0:36:58 > 0:36:59and it's just escalated from there.

0:36:59 > 0:37:01You buy one, you buy another.

0:37:01 > 0:37:02Then before you know it,

0:37:02 > 0:37:05you've got a wardrobe full of jackets.

0:37:05 > 0:37:10New Belstaff jackets cost from around £400 for a waxed cotton one

0:37:10 > 0:37:13and go up into the thousands for leather.

0:37:13 > 0:37:15Darren wanted a new jacket

0:37:15 > 0:37:17so went online to look for a discount.

0:37:17 > 0:37:20I think I paid around £300 for it.

0:37:20 > 0:37:22I was over the moon with it. Very happy.

0:37:22 > 0:37:25The stitching was perfect, the fit was nice on it.

0:37:25 > 0:37:28Everything about it pointed to it being the real deal, you know.

0:37:28 > 0:37:30I was very happy with it.

0:37:30 > 0:37:33These jackets can be customised by the wearer,

0:37:33 > 0:37:37so Darren decided to buy a detachable inner liner to put in it.

0:37:37 > 0:37:39So, I got in touch with this guy from Italy

0:37:39 > 0:37:43and he said, "Send me a photo of the jacket you've bought."

0:37:43 > 0:37:45I sent him a photo and he came back to me literally within an hour.

0:37:45 > 0:37:48He said, "Your jacket's a fake."

0:37:48 > 0:37:50The expert explained that the serial number

0:37:50 > 0:37:55on Darren's jacket ending 0133 was a known fake.

0:37:55 > 0:37:57He said they're renowned for being fake jackets.

0:37:57 > 0:37:59The fakers use this serial number

0:37:59 > 0:38:02which obviously should be individual to every jacket.

0:38:02 > 0:38:05A worried Darren went online to see if he could verify

0:38:05 > 0:38:08what the expert had told him.

0:38:08 > 0:38:10So, I did a bit of looking about to see the sort of jackets

0:38:10 > 0:38:14that I'd been sold, and there was about five or six on there

0:38:14 > 0:38:17with 0133 - the same number that I had on my jacket.

0:38:18 > 0:38:21Darren had lost hundreds on a fake high-end jacket

0:38:21 > 0:38:24that on the outside looked almost as good as the real thing.

0:38:24 > 0:38:27I was annoyed with myself more than anything when I found out

0:38:27 > 0:38:30that it was fake because I didn't do my homework.

0:38:30 > 0:38:32People are getting ripped off.

0:38:32 > 0:38:34You're buying counterfeit goods

0:38:34 > 0:38:36when you think you're getting the real thing.

0:38:36 > 0:38:38The genuine jackets aren't just a fashion statement.

0:38:38 > 0:38:40They're designed to be waterproof.

0:38:42 > 0:38:45The waterproof, waxed-cotton fabric in the jackets

0:38:45 > 0:38:49comes out of this British Millerain factory in Yorkshire.

0:38:49 > 0:38:52The company is a British manufacturing success story,

0:38:52 > 0:38:54with over 50 employees.

0:38:54 > 0:38:57James Keeble is sales director.

0:38:57 > 0:39:00We start with the finest quality cotton which is woven

0:39:00 > 0:39:02to strict specifications

0:39:02 > 0:39:05to ensure that it has good resistance to tearing.

0:39:05 > 0:39:08It then moves into the dyeing where we have to dye the fabric

0:39:08 > 0:39:11to Belstaff's standard shades.

0:39:11 > 0:39:15Once the fabric is dyed, the wax is impregnated into the cotton yarns

0:39:15 > 0:39:18under high temperature and pressure which gives the fabric

0:39:18 > 0:39:20its water resistance.

0:39:21 > 0:39:24Getting the waxing process right

0:39:24 > 0:39:26is crucial to make a jacket waterproof -

0:39:26 > 0:39:28a fact lost on the fakers.

0:39:28 > 0:39:32This is one of the steps where a faker or copycat can get it wrong

0:39:32 > 0:39:33in the manufacturing process.

0:39:33 > 0:39:36If they do not use the correct form of wax,

0:39:36 > 0:39:38then the finished article will not have

0:39:38 > 0:39:41the correct weather-resistant properties.

0:39:41 > 0:39:43The wearer will get wet when it rains and also the jacket

0:39:43 > 0:39:47can actually have quite a pungent diesel-like aroma.

0:39:48 > 0:39:52Gavin Haig is the CEO of Belstaff.

0:39:52 > 0:39:53He showed us the difference

0:39:53 > 0:39:56between the genuine article and the fakes.

0:39:56 > 0:39:58Three jackets here. Just have a look at them.

0:39:58 > 0:40:02This one, believe it or not, is from the 1970s.

0:40:02 > 0:40:04That's what you should expect from a Belstaff jacket.

0:40:04 > 0:40:08This is new. High-quality wax cotton, highly resistant.

0:40:08 > 0:40:10You look at the sleeves, which have this very ergonomic shape

0:40:10 > 0:40:12so when you're sitting on the motorbike

0:40:12 > 0:40:13it's in the right shape.

0:40:13 > 0:40:16And you'll still have it in 50 years' time.

0:40:18 > 0:40:20Third on the rail is a fake leather jacket

0:40:20 > 0:40:22that's been sent in by a customer

0:40:22 > 0:40:25who thought they were getting the real thing.

0:40:25 > 0:40:28If you look at the sleeve, this is a straight shape.

0:40:28 > 0:40:32In fact, believe it or not, the zippers are on the inside,

0:40:32 > 0:40:33and on every motorbike jacket,

0:40:33 > 0:40:37you'll have the zippers on the outside for function.

0:40:37 > 0:40:40So, a very basic mistake in terms of a counterfeit.

0:40:40 > 0:40:42But it's the quality more than the design of this fake

0:40:42 > 0:40:44that's got Gavin worried.

0:40:45 > 0:40:48If you look at the quality of the leather,

0:40:48 > 0:40:51this almost feels like plastic. It's rubbish.

0:40:51 > 0:40:54This is partly glued, not stitched. Probably if I...

0:40:54 > 0:40:57Yeah, there you go. That easy.

0:40:57 > 0:40:59It's like paper.

0:40:59 > 0:41:00And I look at the inside,

0:41:00 > 0:41:04look at the cheapness of the filler that's inside this jacket.

0:41:04 > 0:41:07It's a very, very poor make.

0:41:07 > 0:41:09There are so many of the fake jackets for sale

0:41:09 > 0:41:12on the internet that Belstaff has drafted in help

0:41:12 > 0:41:17from brand protection company MarkMonitor.

0:41:17 > 0:41:20Jerome Sicard is regional director.

0:41:20 > 0:41:23So, the first job when you start a project like this

0:41:23 > 0:41:26is to scan the internet, identify where the brand is exposed

0:41:26 > 0:41:28and where the consumer is potentially at risk.

0:41:28 > 0:41:31So, we do that for Belstaff across all kinds of websites,

0:41:31 > 0:41:35and recently we started doing the same job across social media.

0:41:36 > 0:41:41Over 2,000 websites selling fake clothes have been shut down,

0:41:41 > 0:41:44and in a huge win against the fakers,

0:41:44 > 0:41:49Belstaff was recently awarded over 42 million in damages.

0:41:49 > 0:41:52We found a group of sites owned and managed

0:41:52 > 0:41:57by one unique organization that was running 800 websites,

0:41:57 > 0:41:59so that's quite phenomenal.

0:41:59 > 0:42:02And it gives you good insight into not only how profitable

0:42:02 > 0:42:05a business it is but also how confusing it might be

0:42:05 > 0:42:07for the consumer because if there's 800 websites

0:42:07 > 0:42:09selling fake products out there,

0:42:09 > 0:42:12it becomes very, very difficult for a consumer

0:42:12 > 0:42:15to make a decision as to whether he's on a legitimate

0:42:15 > 0:42:17or a website that sells fakes.

0:42:17 > 0:42:20Jerome knows wherever there's a successful brand,

0:42:20 > 0:42:21the fakers will follow.

0:42:21 > 0:42:24I don't think it's the kind of problem that disappears completely.

0:42:24 > 0:42:26At the end of the day,

0:42:26 > 0:42:28counterfeiters will follow the money trail.

0:42:28 > 0:42:30If a brand is successful,

0:42:30 > 0:42:33they will tend to try and replicate that.

0:42:33 > 0:42:35Company boss Gavin knows that the fakes

0:42:35 > 0:42:39are damaging British business and traditional craftsmanship.

0:42:39 > 0:42:44He wants to protect the people who've made the company a success.

0:42:44 > 0:42:46We have families who have over six generations

0:42:46 > 0:42:49generating the know-how to build these products.

0:42:49 > 0:42:53We have people on our team who have poured their energy into it,

0:42:53 > 0:42:56so if I find that someone is selling under our name

0:42:56 > 0:42:58with our logo on it, it is illegal,

0:42:58 > 0:43:00it affects our brand reputation

0:43:00 > 0:43:02and I get very passionate about that.

0:43:07 > 0:43:10That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.