0:00:02 > 0:00:06In the UK, most of us work hard and pay our taxes.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09Most people basically, intrinsically, won't fiddle.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Everyone should contribute
0:00:11 > 0:00:14towards the services we expect in this country.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17And we generally agree that it's right
0:00:17 > 0:00:19that a proportion of what you earn should go into a pot
0:00:19 > 0:00:22that's there to help you should you need it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26But that money doesn't always find its way to the right people.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Those on a middle income pay their tax,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33so why shouldn't those that earn more money do the same?
0:00:33 > 0:00:35I get very angry about people cheating -
0:00:35 > 0:00:37because that's what it is, isn't it?
0:00:37 > 0:00:41There are big changes taking place in the welfare system
0:00:41 > 0:00:43here in the UK.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46And now it's more important than ever that the right help
0:00:46 > 0:00:48gets to the right people.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52This is the world of Saints & Scroungers.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Coming up, the scroungers out to cheat the system.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Customs officials uncover a company's devious plot
0:01:03 > 0:01:06to avoid paying millions of pounds of tax.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11We targeted three containers from China
0:01:11 > 0:01:16when they arrived, and two of them were covertly searched.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18And a man who claimed he was disabled,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21but still managed to get across three corners of the country
0:01:21 > 0:01:25to claim three different loads of benefits.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28We had evidence that Mr Mooney had benefited to at least
0:01:28 > 0:01:32the sum of £185,000.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Then there are those in need of a helping hand.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38A man determined to earn his own living,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41despite being born with an unpredictable condition
0:01:41 > 0:01:43that can hospitalise him for weeks at a time.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46I felt like my body was lifeless.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48This time, I thought definitely this was it.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55It goes without saying
0:01:55 > 0:01:58that some of the things you see on a stall like this
0:01:58 > 0:02:00won't have been grown in the UK.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02They have to be imported. And import and export
0:02:02 > 0:02:04makes the global economy go round.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08But depending on what you bring in or take out of the country,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11it can change how much tax you have to pay.
0:02:11 > 0:02:16So import/exporters, when it comes to tax,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18really have to know their onions.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Import duty's one of a number of taxes
0:02:21 > 0:02:24the UK Government levies to help pay for the vital services
0:02:24 > 0:02:26we all rely on.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30And the HMRC takes tax evasion very seriously.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33We estimate that the hidden economy and tax evasion
0:02:33 > 0:02:36costs the UK about £9 billion every year.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41And it's important people pay what's due when it's due,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43so that we can keep the economy going.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45It's as simple as that.
0:02:45 > 0:02:4958-year old Murugasan Natarajan from West Drayton in Middlesex
0:02:49 > 0:02:53ran an importing company called Perfect Imports and Export,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56which was based at Brent Park Industrial Estate in London.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00And as an importer, he would have been aware that duty has to be paid
0:03:00 > 0:03:04on certain goods that are brought in from outside the European Union.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Peter Millroy's the Assistant Director
0:03:07 > 0:03:11of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' Criminal Investigation Unit.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16It's important to pay duty. One, to generate income from the Exchequer
0:03:16 > 0:03:22and two, to assist in balancing out and creating a fair playing field
0:03:22 > 0:03:24for EU manufacturers as well.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28So if people import goods and don't pay the duty,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32if it is their intention not to pay the duty, to avoid paying it,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34then that's a criminal offence.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38And at that stage, HMRC will investigate
0:03:38 > 0:03:40and potentially prosecute.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43And they could face a significant prison sentence.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47HMRC has a list of all the goods you need to pay duty on.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51And in 2001, garlic was added to it.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54The import duty was introduced
0:03:54 > 0:03:59in order to protect the growers of garlic within the EU,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01because it can be grown much more cheaply in China
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and elsewhere in the world.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07A 9.6% duty was imposed on fresh and chilled garlic.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11But a couple of years ago, the European Anti-Fraud Office
0:04:11 > 0:04:17received some intelligence about the price of garlic on the streets being surprisingly low.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22The issue really was around the price it was being sold at
0:04:22 > 0:04:26and whether that was economic once you'd paid the import duty.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28In other words, was there any profit left in it?
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Surely no-one would want to sell garlic too cheaply
0:04:32 > 0:04:33to make any profit?
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Alarm bells were ringing. Was this a potential smuggling ring?
0:04:37 > 0:04:38With this in the back of their minds,
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Customs officials were on the lookout for anything suspicious
0:04:42 > 0:04:44amongst companies who import garlic into the UK.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Perfect Imports and Exports was one of a number
0:04:47 > 0:04:49of companies importing garlic.
0:04:49 > 0:04:56And the issue first came to our attention in August of 2010,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00when an importation arrived of garlic from China,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03which was decided should be examined.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07At the time it was examined,
0:05:07 > 0:05:12the declaration was that there was something in the region of 18 tonnes of garlic in the container.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Now, it's well known by those at the ports
0:05:16 > 0:05:18who deal with these kind of goods
0:05:18 > 0:05:22that a full container is something like 26 tonnes.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It seemed strange to the port officials in Felixstowe
0:05:25 > 0:05:28that Perfect Imports and Exports
0:05:28 > 0:05:30would be bringing a container all the way from China
0:05:30 > 0:05:32which was only two-thirds full.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35HMRC has a number of criminal investigators,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37who, due to the nature of their activities,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40prefer to remain anonymous.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44As soon as they realised that the container was going to be examined,
0:05:44 > 0:05:49an amended entry was submitted to declare the goods at about 26 tonnes.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53Which meant that Perfect had to pay
0:05:53 > 0:05:55a further £9,000-worth of duty.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00Officers then allowed the load to continue
0:06:00 > 0:06:02and they got their goods.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06So, Perfect Imports and Exports passed it off as an admin error,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and as they paid the outstanding duty quickly,
0:06:09 > 0:06:10no further action was taken.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14From speaking to the staff at the port
0:06:14 > 0:06:19and discussing the 8-tonne discrepancy with this container,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22it can be common for discrepancies to happen
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and it's just a genuine mistake.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28But Perfect Imports and Exports were now on the HMRC's radar
0:06:28 > 0:06:33and a month later, another container of garlic arrived at 18 tonnes.
0:06:33 > 0:06:39On this occasion, like before, it was selected for an examination.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43The difference on this occasion was that there was no amended entry
0:06:43 > 0:06:47and therefore there was a full examination of that container.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58It was calculated that it weighed 25 tonnes.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03And that's around another £9,000 in undeclared duty.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06The company used the same defence again -
0:07:06 > 0:07:08it was an admin error. They paid the extra duty
0:07:08 > 0:07:11and the container was released to them.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16But the Customs officers were now keeping an even closer eye on what the company was doing
0:07:16 > 0:07:18and over the next six months,
0:07:18 > 0:07:23noticed that they appeared to stop importing garlic from their Chinese suppliers completely.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27At the time, we didn't really know what to think
0:07:27 > 0:07:30of the fact that they weren't declaring any more garlic.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34We just continued to monitor what they were bringing in.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39We noticed that their ginger declarations
0:07:39 > 0:07:42had dramatically increased - fivefold -
0:07:42 > 0:07:47so effectively, there were up to 50 containers of ginger declared.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Garlic...and ginger.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56They're completely different.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57But not just in the way they taste and smell.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00You see, if you want to import garlic,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02you have to pay an EU duty.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05If you import ginger...nothing.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09The investigators were starting to smell something
0:08:09 > 0:08:10a little bit strange.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18We had a suspicion that there was something wrong
0:08:18 > 0:08:19with the ginger imports.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23And we started to look at lots of port information data
0:08:23 > 0:08:25and shipping line information
0:08:25 > 0:08:29to try and understand exactly what was going on.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36This document is what they refer to as a plain paper entry.
0:08:36 > 0:08:42It shows all of the information linked to this particular container.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44You've got where it's from,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46the bill of lading number,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48the weight
0:08:48 > 0:08:52and the fact that the description of the goods is ginger.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54But what's important
0:08:54 > 0:08:57is that for this particular container of ginger,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00the temperature of the container
0:09:00 > 0:09:03was minus three degrees.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06And we know that ginger doesn't get shipped
0:09:06 > 0:09:11at minus three, because it would be absolutely ruined once it arrives.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13It led us to believe
0:09:13 > 0:09:16that it wasn't actually ginger - in fact, it was garlic
0:09:16 > 0:09:18that was being mis-declared.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Now, if it had been ginger,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26then a three-week trip from China at minus three degrees
0:09:26 > 0:09:29rather than the warmer 12 degrees Centigrade
0:09:29 > 0:09:32would have meant the entire container was ruined.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Surely the company wouldn't make that mistake.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Once maybe, but not 50 times.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Because that was the number of containers the investigators
0:09:41 > 0:09:44believed were suspicious.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51The money that they've avoided by declaring garlic as ginger
0:09:51 > 0:09:56meant that every tonne, they were saving £1,000-worth of duty.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01Now, if every container is, say, 26 tonnes,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04that's £26,000-worth of duty,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and it's actually more than that per container.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11Now, if you add that up, it comes to almost £1.4 million,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14just on those 50 containers.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18And remember, that's all money that should have been going towards
0:10:18 > 0:10:22paying for schools, hospitals and other crucial services.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26This was potentially becoming a very serious crime indeed.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31We'll find out later if the team can actually prove any wrongdoing.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39For now, though, it's goodbye to the scroungers
0:10:39 > 0:10:42who are dodging their dues, and hello to those we call our saints -
0:10:42 > 0:10:46people who do everything to make sure that those in need
0:10:46 > 0:10:48get what they deserve.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Living with a disability comes with plenty of challenges,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58but you would hope that once it's clear what you're dealing with,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00people would recognise that
0:11:00 > 0:11:02and give you a bit of a break.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04However, there are some conditions
0:11:04 > 0:11:08that don't conform to the idea of what a disability should look like
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and how it should behave.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13And that can make life very tough.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17And one disorder that doesn't follow the norm is sickle cell.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21It's estimated that around 12,500 people in Britain
0:11:21 > 0:11:23have sickle cell anaemia.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26But it's largely an invisible condition
0:11:26 > 0:11:28and many people don't really understand it.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31A genetic blood disorder, it's most common in people
0:11:31 > 0:11:33of African and Caribbean descent.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35People who are affected by sickle cell
0:11:35 > 0:11:38have an abnormality of the haemoglobin in their blood.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42This sort of haemoglobin causes the red blood cells
0:11:42 > 0:11:45to change from a round shape to a banana shape, a sickle.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47That's where it gets its name from.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50And when blood is flowing through their bodies,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52it starts getting stuck, like a traffic jam -
0:11:52 > 0:11:54it's not reaching all parts of their body.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57This causes immense pain, known as a crisis,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00that can hospitalise them for weeks on end.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03And it's not just the pain that sufferers have to worry about.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06With vital organs being starved of oxygen,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08this can cause long-term damage, strokes
0:12:08 > 0:12:11and lower life expectancy.
0:12:11 > 0:12:1534-year-old Ade from London lives with the condition.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17When the crises start,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20your whole body shuts down. You can't move.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Even to grab the phone to call the ambulance is very difficult.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Even to walk to the bathroom,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31it stops you, because your body is in pain. You can't stand up.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34You know, everything is weak and you just feel like...
0:12:34 > 0:12:36You feel like your life is about to end.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Ade's mother discovered before her son was born
0:12:40 > 0:12:42that he had the condition.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44When I was pregnant with Ade,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47they took my blood and checked it
0:12:47 > 0:12:51and they realised he's going to have sickle cell anaemia.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56And I was advised to terminate the pregnancy.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Ade's mother couldn't bear the thought of an abortion,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04so despite being told her child could only live for one year,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07she continued with the pregnancy.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10The first year, it wasn't too bad. The second year,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13he started having little crises.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15And, um...
0:13:15 > 0:13:19But I was lucky, because I'm a nurse,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22so I have an idea how to look after him.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24But it was not easy.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Growing up with sickle cell and the agony it sometimes brings
0:13:30 > 0:13:31was hard for Ade,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34and sometimes he got his family to help ease the pain.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Back then, if I'm having a crisis,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40like if I have a pain in my leg,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42I used to ask my younger brother
0:13:42 > 0:13:46to sit on my leg to put pressure on the pain to just try...
0:13:46 > 0:13:48So that the pain does not spread.
0:13:48 > 0:13:54So he will sit in that position for a long time until I feel better.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Ade had a difficult childhood,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59involving long absences from school due to his illness.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04But sickle cell doesn't just bring physical pain.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Emotionally, it can be hard to deal with too.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10I don't want people to treat me differently.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13I know I have sickle cell, you know.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18I just want to feel...I just want to feel I'm just like you.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19You understand? But I'm not.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21I'm not.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23So we keep it quiet to ourself.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26I think we find it very embarrassing.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30I just didn't want people to know that I was sick,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33cos you look fine this day, then the next day,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36they'll be asking, "Where are you?"
0:14:36 > 0:14:39You can be gone for two weeks, three weeks, because you are in hospital.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Ade isn't alone.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Many sickle cell sufferers are ashamed of their condition.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Comfort Ndive is a Regional Care Advisor
0:14:47 > 0:14:51for a charity that's been set up to raise awareness.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56So, do you find that a lot of sickle cell anaemia sufferers
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- fail to come forward?- Yes.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01A lot of them are living in isolation,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03for fear of
0:15:03 > 0:15:05being stigmatised.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08So what effect does that then have on their lives,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10their expectation of life?
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Socially, they are isolated. They are excluded.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16They don't have a good quality of life.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18All they know is going into hospital and back home.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21They don't participate in any activities,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23they don't know what is going on out there,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26or things like the services they can access.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30But sufferers shouldn't really feel embarrassed.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Sickle cell is an inherited disorder
0:15:32 > 0:15:36that has a one in four chance of occurring when both parents have the trait.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38The condition's unbearable pain
0:15:38 > 0:15:42can be triggered by a number of factors, including the weather,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44stress levels and dehydration.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49You've got a serious condition
0:15:49 > 0:15:54that can render you really unable to do anything,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57through pain and discomfort, for weeks.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- But you can't predict when it will strike.- No.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04You see, with sickle cell, it's very unpredictable.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08You can work one minute, you look fine, but the next minute,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10you can't even move.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12They will just call an ambulance to come.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Each individual case is different.
0:16:14 > 0:16:20Some people have more severe pain. They have chronic, severe crises.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Some people don't even have crises for a period of time.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27It's a chronic condition that you cannot tell when it will come.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31For Ade, the worst crisis he's ever experienced
0:16:31 > 0:16:33came in 2005,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36when he was working in a department store in London.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39I went to work on that day, that morning.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41I was feeling fine. Everything was OK.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Like my body was fine.
0:16:43 > 0:16:44I was running up and down,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47trying to serve customers.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49And I went to speak to one of my colleagues
0:16:49 > 0:16:51and my whole body just...
0:16:51 > 0:16:54I just felt like something was wrong.
0:16:54 > 0:16:55And I sat on the floor.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58And I couldn't move my body after that.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01It was hard for me to breathe,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04so I had to tell my colleague to call me an ambulance.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Before I knew it, my chest was aching.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09It felt like somebody was standing on my chest
0:17:09 > 0:17:11and I couldn't breathe.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14I remember the ambulance came.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16I was on the sixth floor.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19The ambulance came, and they put me in a wheelchair
0:17:19 > 0:17:22with a gas mask on.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24It was not... I didn't have pain,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28but it felt like my body was gone.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Like my veins, everything, was shut down.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33I felt like my body was lifeless.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35And I thought I was going to...
0:17:35 > 0:17:37This time, I thought definitely this was it.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44That whole crisis experience took me at least...
0:17:46 > 0:17:49..five months for me to properly recover,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51because it was a serious one
0:17:51 > 0:17:53and I was scared.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Ade coped by writing songs
0:17:56 > 0:17:59to express his frustration with the condition.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01But he still needed to pay the bills,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03and his future was looking uncertain.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06It was tough.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08I couldn't do stuff that I normally do.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09I was living by myself.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Bills were piling up, because I was trying to get a job.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15And when you do get a job....
0:18:16 > 0:18:18..when you're sick, and you tell your manager...
0:18:18 > 0:18:21"Oh, you've been missing for two weeks. You've lost your job."
0:18:21 > 0:18:23OK. Start all over again.
0:18:23 > 0:18:24You know?
0:18:24 > 0:18:27So it was...
0:18:27 > 0:18:31It was very unbalanced for me at that point in my life.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Ade had claimed Jobseeker's Allowance,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37but as he didn't consider himself disabled,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41he had no idea that he could have access to other forms of benefits.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44It's a problem that's all too common.
0:18:44 > 0:18:51It's frustrating that people are not claiming benefits that they can apply for,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54simply because they don't know about that benefit being there.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57So it's very important for organisations like ourselves
0:18:57 > 0:19:00to let them know that this is nothing to be ashamed about.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04You are able to look after yourself
0:19:04 > 0:19:08and keep well, but at the same time, there are other times when you're not.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12This is why certain benefits are there to help you financially
0:19:12 > 0:19:14to look after yourself.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Ade didn't realise there was a whole support network out there.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Join us later to find out if the Society can help him.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Now from those in need of help to those who are out to scam the system.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34We all want to see fraudsters get their comeuppance,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37but while a prison sentence sends out a very strong message,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40if they've made money from what they've done,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43well, it doesn't seem fair that they should keep it.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47That's when the Proceeds of Crime Act comes into play.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
0:19:51 > 0:19:54was brought into play particularly to deprive criminals
0:19:54 > 0:19:57of the assets that they have gained
0:19:57 > 0:19:59as a result of their offending behaviour.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02So it was designed to strip the assets, such as houses,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04property, land, vehicles, jewellery, money,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07away from people who had committed offences.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12And one man who felt the sting of the Proceeds of Crime Act
0:20:12 > 0:20:15is 66-year-old Robert Mooney.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18In 2010, he was living in social housing
0:20:18 > 0:20:21for single Irish men in the London borough of Brent.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24He'd been receiving Disability Living Allowance
0:20:24 > 0:20:27for an old back injury from the Department for Work and Pensions
0:20:27 > 0:20:32and Housing and Council Tax Benefit totalling £125 a week
0:20:32 > 0:20:35to help him along a bit until he got back on his feet.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Nothing wrong with that.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40But an anonymous allegation in 2009
0:20:40 > 0:20:42shed a whole new light on Mr Mooney.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Jackie Raja, a financial investigator
0:20:44 > 0:20:48from the Department for Work and Pensions, was on his case.
0:20:49 > 0:20:55Robert Mooney first came to the attention of Brent Housing Benefits in 2009.
0:20:55 > 0:21:03They'd received an allegation that he wasn't spending much time at the property that he had in London.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08Brent Council in fact had a John Mooney down as a benefit claimant
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and thought the tip-off sounded a bit fishy,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13so investigators did some digging
0:21:13 > 0:21:15and their trail led them
0:21:15 > 0:21:17to Denbighshire County Council in Wales.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21They'd issued a Blue Badge and Disability Living Allowance
0:21:21 > 0:21:25to someone with the name Mooney to help him get around.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27But could it be two different people?
0:21:27 > 0:21:32The council found that this Blue Badge that had been issued in Denbighshire
0:21:32 > 0:21:34belonged to a red Jaguar.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38When they did further checks, they found this red Jaguar
0:21:38 > 0:21:41was registered to a George Mooney.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Denbighshire Council and Brent Council
0:21:44 > 0:21:47had exchanged information and exchanged photographs
0:21:47 > 0:21:51and they believed that George Mooney and John Mooney
0:21:51 > 0:21:52were one and the same person.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55So John and George are the same bloke,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58driving a Jag and both claiming various benefits
0:21:58 > 0:22:00from two different councils
0:22:00 > 0:22:02hundreds of miles away from each other.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Alarm bells were now well and truly ringing off the wall.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07But that wasn't everything.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11They then uncovered another address, based in Manchester.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13So that led to further suspicion
0:22:13 > 0:22:19that potentially there were three people and three addresses and three claims being run.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22The third was one Robert or Bertie Mooney
0:22:22 > 0:22:25and there was only one way to find out just how far
0:22:25 > 0:22:26the fraud stretched.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Time to call in the surveillance team.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33Mr Mooney was driving this red Jaguar, accompanied by two females,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35I understand.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37He was going to the Post Office
0:22:37 > 0:22:43and was withdrawing his benefit for that location from his Post Office card account.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48He was then followed back to the property that he was renting
0:22:48 > 0:22:51from the council, either in London or Wales.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53He spent the night at that property
0:22:53 > 0:22:55and then travelled back home again,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57either back to Manchester or then on to Wales,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00to pick up his money for the other location,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02and then drove home again.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07As far back as 1999, Bertie Mooney - the real Mooney -
0:23:07 > 0:23:11had fraudulently pocketed around £150,000
0:23:11 > 0:23:12from Denbighshire County Council,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15the London Borough of Brent
0:23:15 > 0:23:17and the Department for Work and Pensions.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19There was now more than enough evidence
0:23:19 > 0:23:22to justify searching all the properties he was linked to
0:23:22 > 0:23:23and arresting him.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28In the interview with the investigators,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32he admitted that he had made up the other two names,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35he'd made up the claims,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and that his real name actually was Robert Mooney.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40So, finally, three became one.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Mt Mooney was charged with 38 counts altogether...
0:23:52 > 0:23:55He was found guilty and given 18 months in prison.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Now, it always feels good when fraudsters like Mr Mooney
0:23:59 > 0:24:01are given a sentence,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04but what about the money he stole off us, the taxpaying public?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Jackie and her team had already been figuring out
0:24:07 > 0:24:09how to get that back.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11The first thing investigators did
0:24:11 > 0:24:14was make some enquiries about what money Mr Mooney had.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18And when he'd been arrested and his properties searched,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21we'd uncovered evidence of a number of accounts that he held.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25The investigators, using powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29were able to put a restraint on a number of accounts that Mr Mooney held,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32which prevented him accessing the money in those accounts.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37But in addition to that, the house searches
0:24:37 > 0:24:38and investigations that we made
0:24:38 > 0:24:43uncovered evidence that Mr Mooney actually owned a fourth property in Wales.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48And that property was found to be up for sale
0:24:48 > 0:24:55at the time that we first put the restraining order on Mr Mooney accessing his finances.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59With Mooney locked up and a restraint on his assets,
0:24:59 > 0:25:01he wasn't about to go on a shopping spree.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03But would it cover the amount he owed?
0:25:05 > 0:25:08At the time of the confiscation hearing,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10we had evidence that Mr Mooney
0:25:10 > 0:25:15had benefited to at least the sum of £185,000
0:25:15 > 0:25:17as a result of his criminality.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20It was good news, and Jackie's team had already put restraining orders
0:25:20 > 0:25:23on £60,000-worth of his property and assets.
0:25:23 > 0:25:29The courts gave him one year to pay back a £100,000 confiscation order.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32To date, Mr Mooney has paid back
0:25:32 > 0:25:35around £97,000 of that.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39From the point of view of a result, it's an excellent result for us.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42It means that £100,000
0:25:42 > 0:25:45of money is confiscated from a criminal,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48that they don't then benefit from their crime.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50That money is returned to the public purse.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53And Mr Mooney, on his release from prison,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56doesn't benefit at all from the years of criminality
0:25:56 > 0:25:58that he's been engaged in.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02So it just demonstrates that if the DWP
0:26:02 > 0:26:03have anything to say about it,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05in the long run, crime won't pay.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16It's time to leave the tiny minority trying to cheat the system
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and turn our attention to those who really need help.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Sickle cell sufferer Ade was finding it hard to cope
0:26:22 > 0:26:24with an unpredictable condition
0:26:24 > 0:26:26which made it difficult for him to work
0:26:26 > 0:26:29when, like most sufferers, all he wanted to do
0:26:29 > 0:26:31was live a normal life and earn a living.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35With the sufferers that you've met,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37do they generally, um,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40want the same things everyone else wants?
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Yes. Oh, yes, oh, yes.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45They want relationships, they want to go about
0:26:45 > 0:26:49doing their daily activities like anyone else.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51They'd like to go out to work.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56Even though they are having pains, they would like to go out there and work.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Sickle cell does not prevent you from achieving your goals in life.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02So most of them do as much as they can.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07Some of them are IT consultants, some of them doctors, they are nurses.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12The difficulty they face is that most employers cannot keep them for long,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16because when they are in crisis, it might take one or two weeks in hospital.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19And not turning up for work,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21always in pain.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23They feel that they are just giving excuses,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26there's nothing wrong with them,
0:27:26 > 0:27:27because sickle is invisible.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29It's not something you can see physically,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31so people do not understand
0:27:31 > 0:27:34when somebody with sickle cell is in pain,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37they are really sick and they are really in pain.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Ade needed to work to pay his bills,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43so he managed to get a job as a security officer.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45But it was a two-hour journey from his home.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49It was not the job I wanted.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54It was not the stuff I wanted. And it was cold, it was winter.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57And there was one incident that happened.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01I was having a crisis. I was having one of those minor crises that I...
0:28:01 > 0:28:03I couldn't really manage
0:28:03 > 0:28:05and I had to go home.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08And I told my manager that I'm having a crisis -
0:28:08 > 0:28:10please can I go home?
0:28:10 > 0:28:12He said if I go home,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15your job is not going to be here for you again.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Because I was desperate - I needed money to survive,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22I needed money to eat, I needed money to pay my electricity bill
0:28:22 > 0:28:24and stuff like that -
0:28:24 > 0:28:27I didn't go home. I just stayed there.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Because I didn't want to lose the job.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32When he made that statement, I was very...
0:28:32 > 0:28:34disgusted.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37My blood was boiling inside.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42I felt like there's no-one who understands what I'm going through right now.
0:28:42 > 0:28:43I don't know what happened to me that day.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Something just told me to write...
0:28:45 > 0:28:47that song that was coming to my head.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51Writing the song helped Ade deal with his feelings of frustration,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54but he really needed practical support.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Having heard about his predicament, a specialist nurse
0:28:58 > 0:29:00put him in touch with the Sickle Cell Society.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03It was here that we met Iyamide Thomas.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05I first met Ade...
0:29:05 > 0:29:08I think it was 2007. He was referred to me
0:29:08 > 0:29:12because he was having crises and he needed help.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16As part of her job, Iyamide visited Ade at home.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21When I did the home visit, I did notice that he didn't have a proper bed.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23His mattress was on the floor.
0:29:23 > 0:29:29So, financially, I don't think Ade was very financially secure when I met him.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32And I don't think he was getting some of the benefits
0:29:32 > 0:29:34that he could have applied for.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Iyamide helped him to access a welfare fund,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40which provided him with a new bed.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43She also encouraged him to apply for Disability Living Allowance.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46But at first, his applications were unsuccessful.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49This happens a lot for those with sickle cell,
0:29:49 > 0:29:51as it's a hard condition to define.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57So, the forms are there to describe a permanent condition,
0:29:57 > 0:30:02- but with sickle cell, what you're talking about is something that comes and goes.- Yes.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05And so that makes the form quite difficult.
0:30:05 > 0:30:06Difficult for them to fill out, yes,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08because their condition fluctuates.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11It's unpredictable. One minute you are OK.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13The next minute... What do you say?
0:30:13 > 0:30:15You say on the form, "Today I feel OK.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18"I was able to do this for myself."
0:30:18 > 0:30:21The next minute on the next form, you say you can't even get up when you're in crisis.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24You can't do anything for yourself.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26It was a frustrating time for Ade,
0:30:26 > 0:30:30and he told Iyamide about the song he'd written, Feel My Pain.
0:30:31 > 0:30:36I then thought that's very good, and we're going to do something with Feel My Pain.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38And I then helped to
0:30:38 > 0:30:42try and get a grant from one of those organisations in Lambeth.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44And we got it.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48And it was for him to produce Feel My Pain on CD and DVD.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50And then we did a launch.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52# If you could only feel my pain
0:30:52 > 0:30:55# But the world is so afraid
0:30:55 > 0:30:57# That it's going to take me away
0:30:57 > 0:31:00# To a place I've never seen... #
0:31:00 > 0:31:04Ade's song not only helped to promote the Society,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07but it gave him a renewed sense of purpose.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09He decided to go to university.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12He graduated with a degree in film studies,
0:31:12 > 0:31:14but was still struggling financially,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17so the Society put him in touch with a community nurse
0:31:17 > 0:31:21who helped him fill out the Disability Living Allowance application again.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23This time he was successful
0:31:23 > 0:31:25and it wasn't just a weekly payment.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28The Disability Living Allowance mobility component
0:31:28 > 0:31:34means that in certain cases, the claimant's also entitled to get help buying or leasing a car.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39I've always been very pleased when I see that a client is able to
0:31:39 > 0:31:44get something that would either allow them to go to this meeting or come to this workshop
0:31:44 > 0:31:48or, you know, do something that doesn't tire them out.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53And the fact that he got a car through that was good, that he could go out and,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56you now, try and live a normal life.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Since discovering the Society, Ade's financial position has improved.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03He now has the benefits to which he's entitled
0:32:03 > 0:32:05and it's making his life easier.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11The Society has really made me understand that there's help out there.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15There's help out there if you really search for it.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Very often, young men with sickle cell,
0:32:18 > 0:32:23they are very frustrated because of the way they are stereotyped and all that.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26They tend maybe not to achieve as much,
0:32:26 > 0:32:29but Ade has overcome that
0:32:29 > 0:32:32and he's just doing his thing, you know.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Unless he's ill, you wouldn't even know he had the condition, really.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38He's getting on with life.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42Ade's currently working in a hospital canteen to earn some money
0:32:42 > 0:32:44while he continues to pursue his dream
0:32:44 > 0:32:46of working in films.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48You can do whatever you dream of doing.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52As long as you don't let sickle cell block it from you.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56Take that off your mind and you'll get far.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03It takes a lot to be able to cope with a debilitating disorder like sickle cell,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06but Ade's living his life to the full
0:33:06 > 0:33:09and in the process, by raising awareness through his song,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13he's giving something back to the Society that's helped him so much.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16# Peace and love. #
0:33:22 > 0:33:25Now it's time to return to the greedy world of our devious scroungers.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31Perfect Imports and Exports
0:33:31 > 0:33:33was a major player in the importing of garlic.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36But after they were discovered to have under-declared
0:33:36 > 0:33:40the weight of a couple of their containers from suppliers in China,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43they appeared to have stopped importing garlic
0:33:43 > 0:33:45and moved on to ginger instead.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Customs officers were suspicious.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Believing that £1.4 million
0:33:52 > 0:33:54had effectively been stolen from the public purse
0:33:54 > 0:33:56through evasion of import duties,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59they'd been monitoring the company's activities closely.
0:34:01 > 0:34:02In April, we targeted
0:34:02 > 0:34:05three containers from China,
0:34:05 > 0:34:07all declared as ginger.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12We were there at the port when they arrived.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15We watched them be brought onto the shore
0:34:15 > 0:34:18and two of them were covertly searched.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25This is one of the containers.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29On this picture, you can see the actual container number.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35When it was opened up, in this picture,
0:34:35 > 0:34:40you can see that it's literally full of garlic.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47They've even tried to squeeze boxes on top to maximise
0:34:47 > 0:34:49the amount they could bring in.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52This is a close-up of the garlic.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55But the key factor is that this container
0:34:55 > 0:34:57was declared as ginger.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01These containers were then returned as normal
0:35:01 > 0:35:04and collected by Perfect
0:35:04 > 0:35:07and delivered to their warehouse,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09where they were also observed.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17So, with all the Customs paperwork saying that it was ginger that was being imported,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20and yet the container full to the brim with garlic,
0:35:20 > 0:35:25it was time to see whether the company would willingly and voluntarily declare
0:35:25 > 0:35:28there had been another mistake in the ordering.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33The company would have no idea that their containers had been examined,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36so they were given time to see if they would admit the error.
0:35:36 > 0:35:42After all, they could genuinely have been expecting a delivery of ginger.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45But after having no word for a week,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49in April 2011, search warrants were issued for the offices.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57The first thing they needed to establish was who was in charge.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01On arrest day, my role was to speak to the director,
0:36:01 > 0:36:06but the director on paper wasn't the actual director.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09I then spoke to Mr Natarajan,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12who declared himself as the person in charge
0:36:12 > 0:36:16and the director of Perfect Imports and Exports.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20He explained to us that he dealt with purchasing garlic
0:36:20 > 0:36:24and other goods, and he was effectively in charge
0:36:24 > 0:36:26of that side of the business,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29which meant that he was the right person we needed to speak to.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33And he was then cautioned and arrested.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36But when Mr Natarajan was brought in for an interview under caution,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39his behaviour changed.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42He tried to avoid all of our questions.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46He changed his story, he contradicted himself.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50He couldn't explain who the boss was.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52He couldn't explain who paid him.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55And it went on in that vein.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59Despite Mr Natarajan not being very forthcoming,
0:36:59 > 0:37:03the team was gathering enough evidence to prove that he was the boss.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06During the search of the business premises,
0:37:06 > 0:37:10we uplifted numerous computers and documents.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13The documents didn't really give us that much information,
0:37:13 > 0:37:17because they were doctored, effectively.
0:37:17 > 0:37:22But it was the computers that revealed the real source of great evidence for us,
0:37:22 > 0:37:26which was the Skype instant messages.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30The instant messages from Natarajan and the Chinese suppliers
0:37:30 > 0:37:33proved to be a vital piece of information.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35In front of me I have a transcript.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Natarajan says, "Have you loaded the first container of garlic?
0:37:39 > 0:37:43"Please make the bill of lading as ginger.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47"I have given two container this week and paid advance,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50"and both should show as ginger."
0:37:50 > 0:37:55This clearly shows that the Chinese suppliers were involved
0:37:55 > 0:37:58and that Natarajan was able to manipulate them
0:37:58 > 0:38:02to assist him mis-declare the goods on import.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07But computer analysis showed that Natarajan wasn't the only player.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11They discovered further instant messages to the Chinese suppliers
0:38:11 > 0:38:14from one of his colleagues, a woman called Lakshmi Suresh,
0:38:14 > 0:38:19which they believed proved she was also knowingly involved in the smuggling of garlic.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24From a transcript, I have an example of where Lakshmi Suresh
0:38:24 > 0:38:27is messaging the Chinese suppliers
0:38:27 > 0:38:31and she says, "18 tonnes, can you show?"
0:38:31 > 0:38:34And the Chinese supplier replies,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37"Yes, it is OK, but, dear,
0:38:37 > 0:38:43"it is too risky for all 18 tonnes. We worried they will discover."
0:38:43 > 0:38:46This was enough evidence for them to bring in Suresh
0:38:46 > 0:38:48for an interview under caution.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52Lakshmi Suresh was quite evasive during the interview.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54She didn't give us any information.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59Even when we asked about her email address, she denied that she had an email address,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02even though there was an email address in her name, for example.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06We believe that she was under instructions by Mr Natarajan
0:39:06 > 0:39:10to basically not give us any other information.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Once they were confident it was Natarajan pulling all the strings,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16a warrant was issued to search his house.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25We wanted to search Natarajan's home address,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28because we believed that there was potential evidence there.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33We found up to £150,000-worth of cash
0:39:33 > 0:39:36hidden in different places,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38as well as a cash-counting machine.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41That's a lot of cash lying around.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44The investigators were happy that they had enough evidence
0:39:44 > 0:39:46to charge both Natarajan and Suresh.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Suresh pleaded guilty in November 2012
0:39:50 > 0:39:53and was given a 12-month suspended sentence
0:39:53 > 0:39:57and ordered to pay £10,000 compensation.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01Natarajan was still maintaining his innocence
0:40:01 > 0:40:03and continued working.
0:40:05 > 0:40:10For his business, he's been to China. He went to different parts of the world
0:40:10 > 0:40:12to maybe source goods.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15But we had no concerns about his bail conditions,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18based on the fact that he attended all of the court hearings.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22We had lots of contact with him via his solicitor,
0:40:22 > 0:40:26and so there weren't any restrictions on him travelling.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30The officers had no cause for concern.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34But when it came round to Natarajan's day in court in December,
0:40:34 > 0:40:35he didn't turn up.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37Stuck in traffic? Running late?
0:40:37 > 0:40:39No.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41He'd skipped the country.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44That didn't stop the team prosecuting him,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47and the court case was held in his absence.
0:40:48 > 0:40:53The prosecution led the jury through our evidence,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55which was presented to the judge,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58and the jury came back and made their decision,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02giving Natarajan six years' imprisonment.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08Six years is one of the longest sentences handed out
0:41:08 > 0:41:11for this type of crime in recent years.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14100 containers from Perfect Imports and Exports
0:41:14 > 0:41:19had been identified as either being understated or wrongly described,
0:41:19 > 0:41:24equalling around £2 million in unpaid Customs duties.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29In terms of the case itself, it was a success.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31We stopped the smuggling
0:41:31 > 0:41:33and we dealt with the individuals.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37For Mr Natarajan, one day there will be a knock on his door.
0:41:40 > 0:41:45As for the money, HMRC has £150,000 of Natarajan's money
0:41:45 > 0:41:47that they seized from his house,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51as well as the £10,000 that Suresh paid in compensation.
0:41:51 > 0:41:56Evasion of Customs duty like this is a serious matter.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59We're looking at sums of money in the millions
0:41:59 > 0:42:01that should have been paid to the Exchequer.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04Failure to pay that money
0:42:04 > 0:42:07means that the money isn't available to be spent
0:42:07 > 0:42:11on public works, schools, hospitals and so forth.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14It is a serious matter,
0:42:14 > 0:42:18and the sentence that Mr Natarajan was handed down by the court reflects that.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21But they're not going to let it rest there.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23He's still on their Most Wanted list.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27And they're confident that one day he'll be made to pay.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32If anybody does have any information about where Natarajan is,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34it's really important they contact us,
0:42:34 > 0:42:37because he should be serving the time that he's been sentenced to.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45So it turns out there is a big difference between ginger and garlic.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49Ginger...they call the root of life.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Whereas garlic, if you fail to pay your import duty on it,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56can be the route to a prison sentence.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd