A few days ago Gary was out late undercover and arranging a secret job. The job he was arranging was a multi agency check on vehicles attending a local market. Information had been received that some vans attending the market were unroadworthy and some may have been carrying counterfeit goods. This morning at 3am he was up very early with the RPU, Trading Standards officers, Customs and Excise, and Vehicle Operator Services Agency staff (VOSA) to stop and check some vehicles going to the market.

Early on Gary found a van full of training shoes that Trading Standards officers suspect may be counterfeit. That means that people may be buying what they think are a bargain name brand but are in fact inferior copies. But not today as Trading Standards Officers have seized the goods, with Garys help.

After a quick break for breakfast Gary's work went on.

Over 60 vehicles were checked during the morning. One was seized by Customs and Excise officers as a Landrover that had been stopped was being run on fuel for which the duty had not been paid, the driver will have to pay at least £1000 in revenue before he can get his vehicle back and may face prosecution. To top that the trailer it was towing had two dangerously defective tyres and VOSA staff took it off the road and reported the driver. A number of drivers were also reported for other defects and for not having a current excise licence, an unlicensed driver had his car seized too!

Gary was a great help to the Customs and Excise team and VOSA vehicle examiners and really enjoyed getting dirty!