One in every six cigarettes smoked in the UK is counterfeit.
In this episode of BBC News Behind the Investigation, Melanie Stewart-Smith talks to File on 4 Investigates reporter Jane Deith about how the team uncovered the global criminal networks flooding Britain with fake cigarettes, and the human cost behind every cheap pack.
Jane explains how the team traced the supply chain from secret factories in Belgium to corner shops, minimarts and cash and carries across the UK.
We also look at why gangs are moving from drugs to fake cigarettes. A former senior Europol official says they now make as much money as they do from drugs, with far lower prison sentences if they’re caught. The profits are being used to fund weapons, people smuggling and even terrorism.
Do people really know what they’re funding when they buy cheap cigarettes?
Hear the full investigation: search for File on 4 Investigates on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0032sbc
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