TWO investigations carried out by Powys County Council, which targeted rogue traders, are to feature in BBC One’s Ill Gotten Gains.

The work of Trading Standards officers involved tackling a company selling a dangerous teeth-whitening product at the Royal Welsh Show, which saw them net an eye-watering £2.6 million, and featured in the episode showing on Friday, 18 September (today).

And the same team’s efforts to secure justice for the elderly and vulnerable victims of a prolific fake leather jacket scammer is to feature in the same series next Friday, September 25, at 11am.

The programme is presented by Angelica Bell and Rav Wilding.

‘Operation Gleam’ saw Powys Trading Standards officers catch criminals selling a teeth-whitening product containing over 100 times the permitted amount of hydrogen peroxide at the Royal Welsh Show back in 2013. Their assets were frozen and the council is reclaiming costs through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The last defendant to be targeted as part of the enforcement proceedings owes £1.1m and faces a seven-year prison sentence if he does not pay up. So far £185,000 has been recovered.

‘Operation Sweep’ saw officers tackle, with the support of national Trading Standards, a rogue trader who targeted shoppers outside supermarkets with his leather jackets con. He was arrested in Abercrave, 20 miles south of Brecon, and his fake goods and cash were seized.

The man was later brought back from Naples and prosecuted, with compensation secured for some of his devastated victims.

Councillor James Evans, portfolio holder for regulatory services, said: “It is great that the work of our Trading Standards officers has attracted nationwide interest from the television networks and I will be making sure that I catch up with these two episodes, which I expect will make for fascinating viewing.

“These successes were only achieved due to the dedicated work of our investigators, together with effective partnerships with Dyfed-Powys Police and others.”

During the 2019/2020 financial year Powys Trading Standards obtained £285,000 from the assets of criminals, using proceeds of crime proceedings, which take place post-conviction. Around £80,000 of that went directly to victims in Powys and beyond, with these funds being paid direct from the court service due to the council’s actions.