Latest news with #Ingoldmells
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
The tempting fakes funding 'dark criminality'
It has been a busy summer for trading standards officers who have been clamping down on counterfeit goods on our streets. Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fakes have been seized in Lincolnshire. The BBC's Sarah-May Buccieri went to see where they are stored. "It's not a victimless crime," says Lincolnshire trading standards officer Dan Brown. He's been doing this job for 18 years. We stand at the edge of a container full to the brim of counterfeit items which have been confiscated. I've been told I must keep the location of where we are a secret, because the items here are linked to organised crime. At the end of July, thousands of fake clothes were seized in Ingoldmells on the Lincolnshire coast. They included more than 2,000 pairs of trainers and 300 T-shirts imitating brands like Adidas, Nike, Dior and North Face. Trading Standards said they had an estimated value of more than £100,000. These items are now in boxes in Dan's container. "It's not the quality you'd expect it to be. The stitching is not right," Dan says as he closely inspects a fake white Nike trainer seized in the raid. Dan says he's seen fake trainers like this sell for between £40 and £120. "Not cheap at all," he laughs. "The counterfeiters exploit a market and create an impression that these are genuine products. "That's misleading the customer." Action Fraud said the money spent on counterfeit goods was used to fund organised crime including drug dealing. Dan says he wants people to consider the "wider picture" and think twice before buying a fake. "We've seen that it's heavily linked with people trafficking, drugs smuggling, child sexual exploitation, lots of dark criminality. This is just the face of it," he says. The government said people who bought fake goods may also have unknowingly shared personal data that could be used in criminal activities. In June, the Intellectual Property Office surveyed 5,000 UK adults on their buying habits. About a quarter said they had knowingly made a counterfeit purchase. The data showed respondents under the age of 45 were the most active purchasers of counterfeit goods. Dan unbolts another container. As he rummages through bags of items, he finds a selection of children's toys. Although seemly harmless, he says they can be incredibly dangerous. "They don't meet the legal labelling requirement so there's no traceability on these products to be sold on the UK market," Dan says. He pulls out a bunch of fake, brightly coloured L.O.L dolls, aimed at young children, which he says became popular a few years ago. "The counterfeiters jumped on that," he says. Behind the eye-catching colours of the dolls, Dan says chemicals were found on them which could have caused harm to a small child if they put one in their mouth. "They're not tested properly. We often see choking hazards," he says. "Is it really worth the safety of your child to buy a counterfeit product like this?" Dan says the trading standards team works hand in hand with Lincolnshire Police. He describes their relationship as "critical and integral" as police support his team on raids. As Dan bolts up the container, he issues a warning to those tempted to buy a fake. "These people are exploiting everybody," he says. "Think long and hard about where you want to spend your money and who you want to be giving that money to." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices More on this story Thousands of vapes and cigarettes seized in raids Large haul of illegal tobacco seized in raids Thousands of vapes and cigarettes seized in raids Related internet links Trading Standards
BBC News
08-08-2025
- BBC News
The tempting counterfeit goods funding 'dark criminality'
It has been a busy summer for trading standards officers who have been clamping down on counterfeit goods on our streets. Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fakes have been seized in Lincolnshire. The BBC's Sarah-May Buccieri went to see where they are stored."It's not a victimless crime," says Lincolnshire trading standards officer Dan been doing this job for 18 stand at the edge of a container full to the brim of counterfeit items which have been confiscated.I've been told I must keep the location of where we are a secret, because the items here are linked to organised crime. At the end of July, thousands of fake clothes were seized in Ingoldmells on the Lincolnshire included more than 2,000 pairs of trainers and 300 T-shirts imitating brands like Adidas, Nike, Dior and North Standards said they had an estimated value of more than £100,000. These items are now in boxes in Dan's container."It's not the quality you'd expect it to be. The stitching is not right," Dan says as he closely inspects a fake white Nike trainer seized in the says he's seen fake trainers like this sell for between £40 and £120. "Not cheap at all," he laughs."The counterfeiters exploit a market and create an impression that these are genuine products."That's misleading the customer." Action Fraud said the money spent on counterfeit goods was used to fund organised crime including drug dealing. Dan says he wants people to consider the "wider picture" and think twice before buying a fake. "We've seen that it's heavily linked with people trafficking, drugs smuggling, child sexual exploitation, lots of dark criminality. This is just the face of it," he says. The government said people who bought fake goods may also have unknowingly shared personal data that could be used in criminal activities. In June, the Intellectual Property Office surveyed 5,000 UK adults on their buying habits. About a quarter said they had knowingly made a counterfeit purchase. The data showed respondents under the age of 45 were the most active purchasers of counterfeit goods. Dan unbolts another container. As he rummages through bags of items, he finds a selection of children's seemly harmless, he says they can be incredibly dangerous."They don't meet the legal labelling requirement so there's no traceability on these products to be sold on the UK market," Dan says. He pulls out a bunch of fake, brightly coloured L.O.L dolls, aimed at young children, which he says became popular a few years ago."The counterfeiters jumped on that," he the eye-catching colours of the dolls, Dan says chemicals were found on them which could have caused harm to a small child if they put one in their mouth."They're not tested properly. We often see choking hazards," he says."Is it really worth the safety of your child to buy a counterfeit product like this?" Dan says the trading standards team works hand in hand with Lincolnshire describes their relationship as "critical and integral" as police support his team on Dan bolts up the container, he issues a warning to those tempted to buy a fake."These people are exploiting everybody," he says."Think long and hard about where you want to spend your money and who you want to be giving that money to."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
BBC News
02-07-2025
- BBC News
Man to stand trial over Skegness pedestrian death
A man is due to stand trial accused of causing the death of a Stephens, 63, died after he was hit by a car while crossing Anchor Lane, Ingoldmells, near Skegness, on 12 August Gregory, 57, pleaded not guilty to causing death by careless driving when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Gregory, of Chapelfield Crescent, Rotherham, was released on bail and will appear before the same court on 10 October. No trial date was set. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
The Sun
19-06-2025
- The Sun
Popular beachfront theme park forced to close twice a week
A SEASIDE town theme park has revealed they are being forced to close twice a week. Fantasy Island first opened in Ingoldmells near Skegness in 1995. 2 While the theme park is open every day during the summer season, they have confirmed this won't be the case for the rest of the year. Outside of summer, the theme park is now going to close on Mondays and Tuesdays. A spokesperson for Fantasy Island told local media: "Whilst our rides remain open every day during the summer, we have made the decision to restrict our opening outside of this peak period." The theme park cited increased wage costs as well as an increase in electricy prices. They added: "This, coupled with growing caution in consumer spending, makes it increasingly difficult to operate sustainably outside peak periods." This means the theme park will only be open from Wednesday to Sunday instead. According to the website, the new changes will affect the months of April, May, June and September. The park is only open for limited days in October and March, with the park closed from December to February. Many seaside towns only open many of their attractions on reduced hours outside of the peak season. Until then, the theme park is open seven days a week, which also includes " Europe 's biggest seven-day market" with 320 stalls. Inside the UK theme park that is free to visit with terrifying rollercoasters and the largest seven-day market in Europe It has a number of rollercoasters include The Odyssey, The Millennium and the smaller Rhombus Rocket. To cool off, there are water rides including a log flume and river rapids. You can even spend the night, with the Fantasy Island Holiday Park included wristbands and discounts for the theme park. Despite opening 30 years ago, the theme park went into administration back in 2014. It then reopened in 2021 after being bought out, and has remained open since then. Here are five other coastal theme parks in the UK. And here is a seaside theme park that is opening a new log flume ride this year. 2
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lincoln shopper feels 'held to ransom' by contactless payments
A shopper said he felt "held to ransom and bullied" by the "phenomenal" amount of businesses which only accept contactless Wicks, 62, from Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, said he believed people should have more choice as to how they can Wicks said he was recently unable to use public toilets at Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln which have only accepted a 20p charge by contactless payments since Shopping Centre has been contacted for comment. Mr Wicks said he did not mind the fee, but said he felt "frustrated" by the lack of payment options and people should not be "held to ransom" by companies. "I don't see why people should be bullied into things they don't agree with.""We're meant to be inclusive and democratic in this country yet we've been stopped from using toilets because businesses have decided they want us all to be contactless," Mr Wicks said it was unfair the public had no say in the rise of contactless payments. "It's not been voted on. We haven't had a referendum have we?" In June 2021, Age UK published a report on how the decline of cash was affecting older people. It said there was a "critical importance of cash to older people in a world which is increasingly forcing all of us to use digital payment and banking services".The charity warned the government and industry needed to take action to protect access to cash to ensure "millions of older people and other citizens are not cut off from their money".A further report in May 2023 said: "No matter what advances in technology occur, there will always be people who depend on cash."It is imperative that it remains in circulation and as a payment method for retail customers." Mr Wicks said he contacted his bank and asked for the contactless option on his card to be disabled. "I won't have one, I don't want it and I don't see why anyone else should if they don't feel that way." Bill Draycott, from Lincoln, said he used contactless payments "very seldom".He said he was concerned scammers could access his money."I just prefer cash really," he said. However, Ben Whitfield-Heap, from Lincoln, said: "I don't think we need cash anymore." He said he often used contactless payment methods. Helen Lloyd, also from Lincoln, said she used contactless several times a day and had "never had a problem". According to UK Finance, contactless payments accounted for 76% of all debit card transactions made during March Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money magazine, said contactless methods were secure and could be trusted."We've had over 10 years of mass contactless use with very little in the way of fraud," he said."Everyone thinks about fraudsters running off with our cards. Whilst that occurs, it's actually a very small amount of fraud."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
