British cheese caper: Neal’s Yard falls victim to fraud
The company Neal’s Yard Dairy, which sells artisanal cheeses, delivered approximately 22 metric tonnes of cheddar worth around CAD 510,000 to a fraudster posing as a French distributor but did not receive payment for the goods. The newspaper "The Times" wonders whether the crime might have been masterminded by a gang that wanted to smuggle cheese into Russia, bypassing sanctions.
![Neal’s Yard Dairy has handed over 22 tons of cheddar worth £300,000 to a fraudster [illustrative photo]](https://v.wpimg.pl/ZDVkNzcydSU3CThJTAJ4MHRRbBMKW3ZmI0l0WExPaH0uWHtOTB8zKDMZKwoMVz02IxsvDRNXKih5Cj4TTA9razICPQoPGCNrMwYsHwdWOCZjXCpOVxh3J2EJL1dXH2sme1IsQ1VUP3dgUypPB05tdjUNbAc)
Neal’s Yard received the order from the fraudster via email. Later, the company's employees contacted him by phone. The man reportedly spoke with a French accent and had expert knowledge about cheese, according to the British newspaper.
On Friday, "The Guardian" reported that the case has caused a stir in the cheesemaking community.
Betrayal of trust by a deceitful client is a violation of the atmosphere of trust and respect. In the world of cheese-making, a word is more valuable than money, said Patrick Holden, owner of the Hafod cheddar-producing farm, as quoted by the newspaper.
His products were part of the stolen batch of 950 cheeses. In retail, prices for a 250-300 gram piece range between CAD 12 and CAD 21. Neal’s Yard Dairy stated that despite the financial losses, they paid the supplier for the purchased cheese.
"The Times" reported that the London police have launched an investigation into the matter. No arrests have been made so far.
High demand in Russia for luxury food
As the newspaper indicates, no one knows who the fraudster might be, but among cheesemakers, there are rumours that he might have been part of a gang smuggling European food into Russia.
- There is a high demand for luxury food in Russia because there are no legal ways to obtain it - said Sarah Stewart, co-owner of Neal’s Yard, to the newspaper. - I have no idea if that’s what happened to our cheese - she said in an interview with the newspaper.
In 2014, Russia banned the import of certain food products from the EU in response to the community's sanctions for the annexation of Crimea, but this did not eliminate the demand for imported food, "The Times" reports.
