Criminals try cheating World Cup booze tag with ham and chicken skin
Criminals try cheating World Cup booze tag with ham and chicken skin
From ham to condoms, scroll down for the full list of methods
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Sophie Warburton 16:51, Tue, Jun 23, 2026 Updated: 17:05, Tue, Jun 23, 2026 
To combat violence, criminals either released from prison or serving a community sentence are being forced to wear ankle tags, designed to alert probation officers if they are drinking. Over 7,300 offenders are set to be tagged, with 5,000 of them done already. Unsurprisingly, some lags are already trying to cheat the system.
Importantly, the tags work by analysing the offender's sweat for traces of alcohol, thereby sending an alert to probation officers who can take action to punish them. The devices clock when an offender having a drink and supporting their team from a pub or a fan zone, should they be caught, they risk being returned to court or prison.
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But, rather than this being a cruel act of torture, it is well documented that alcohol frequently fuels outbreaks of aggression, rowdy conduct, and public chaos during significant football events. Now that the World Cup is in full swing, law enforcement and regional councils are bracing for a surge in pressure.
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To shine some light on the ridiculous tricks the lags have used so far is Amit Sethi, 45, SCRAM Director of International Operations. He revealed that convicts have tried everything from chicken skin to ham. But the question is, does it work?
He told The Sun: “There have been lots of different things put between the tag’s sensor and the skin to block detection – like a business card, credit card, tin foil – but we can always tell.
“Chicken skin, ham, baloney, condoms and anything that might mimic skin have been tried, but it doesn’t work because we can detect the alcohol anyway and any obstructions to readings.”
Mr Sethi went on to explain that people wrongly assume that if they don’t sweat, the alcohol won’t be detected. He added that when someone tried to put their foot in a bucket of ice, it didn’t work as the body still emits gases.
People in the US have even tried shooting the tag off their ankle, while others have tried to break it off with force. One person even shot a nail gun through his leg, Mr Sethi described.
But despite such inventive attempts to trick the system, all were unsuccessful. In fact, the devices can detect cheating incidents within minutes. This would, in turn, alert the Probation Service.
Full list of tricks so far…
Ham
Chicken
Condoms
Baloney
Alcohol gel
Business card
Credit card
Tin foil
Ice bucket
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
