Zing Tsjeng explores how the City of London and its financial institutions profited from slavery in America long after the trade was abolished. She uncovers the hidden history of European wealth built on oppression, exploitation, and colonial plunder. The legacy of colonialism is everywhere today—from our banks to the food on our tables—and it’s time we paid attention.
Tag Archives: real story
Flakka: The Truth Behind the Zombie Drug
A few years ago, a new synthetic drug called Flakka appeared in Florida. It wasn’t long before viral videos and sensationalized news reports of alleged Flakka overdoses started to spread across the internet, and people began comparing its effects to that of a zombie outbreak. One supposed incident involved a person who allegedly ate off a homeless man’s face on the side of a highway. The drug’s effects are often compared to that of bath salts, and include hallucinations, “superhuman” strength, and a state of “excited delirium” that is credited with driving the lunatic actions of some users.
However, Flakka can be easily altered or changed, and reports have emerged that its recent incarnation has surfaced under a slightly new chemical—and just as dangerous—structure. Matt Shea travels to Florida to meet both users and distributors to discover what’s really behind this zombie drug.
Inside the Women’s Prison (series)
Women make up about 10% of Singapore’s prison population. And inside the walls of Institution A4, at the Changi Prison Complex, are about 800 female inmates, incarcerated for various offences. But as different as they and their offences may be, they all have one thing in common – drugs. Majority of the female inmates at Changi have used and abused drugs or committed crimes related to drugs.
In this new series, our cameras take us inside the nation’s only women’s prison to see what life is like for a group of diverse inmates. We also meet the all-female team of prison officers watching over them and witness the relationships they build in that world behind bars.
Behind Closed Doors
Behind Closed Doors: A film about corruption in high places and those who enable it. Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) are people who hold a public function and as a result present higher risks of being involved in bribery or corruption. Offshore leaks have revealed repeatedly that PEPs use British finance and British offshore jurisdictions to launder their wealth, hide their wealth and re-invest that wealth back into the global financial system. London is the place where they buy property, where they take legal action against their critics and where they live when they fall from grace. But what happens when a developing country fights back and attempts to get Britain to return the money that it claims has been stolen?
Marseille: Europe´s Deadliest City
In Marseille, gangs fighting for territory have become more violent; setting on fire their rivals, kidnapping, torturing and killing young people to send messages to rival gangs. Most of these crimes have been happening in the Quartiers Nord, an area that according to the families of the victims, has been neglected by the state which allowed crime to proliferate.
The Evangelical Steve Irwin
21-year-old David Orin has gone viral by posting videos of him wrestling with pythons, willingly getting bitten on the face, and fearlessly flirting with venomous vipers. But, if you keep swiping, you will also see posts of David preaching the gospel, encouraging others to follow Christ, and condemning the sin of masturbation. As an amateur herper, a discipline rooted in biology & behavioral science, and a fiercely passionate fundamentalist Christian, David walks a fine line between two communities we often see as at odds. However, he feels like he can reconcile the two, with his love for God fueling his appreciation for all of His creations. There are plenty of Christian influencers out there, as well as plenty of herper accounts, but he’s the only one fusing the two, and people just can’t get enough. However, it’s not all snakes & sunshine – David is often criticized online for his lack of formal training and somewhat cavalier approach to the hobby.
The Digital Drug Industry
Drugs have never been more marketed than they are now. The most recent European Drug Report refers to this as an “uberisation” of the drug market, with it now being easier to order a gram of cocaine than a pizza. But with this ease of access and glossy marketing has come a dark outcome; a sharp uptake in drug use in children, as young as 10. The world has been hit by a wave of deaths of children who have taken Class A drugs such as ecstasy, and many have been found to have bought those drugs on Instagram and Snapchat. Tir Dhondy investigates how easy it really is to pick up, and whether it’s possible to regulate this digital wild west.
GHB: The Deadly Party Drug
GHB can make you happy and horny with no comedown but a milliliter too much can put you in a coma or kill you. You may have heard about it as a chemsex or a date rape drug, the substance that leads to DJ Jackmaster’s career being canceled, or in headlines about overdoses all over Europe.
With a lack of reliable statistics and reporting, we investigate just how widespread this dangerous drug is. What we uncover is alarming: a hidden G epidemic has been spreading through raves and clubs across the continent, leaving a trail of death in its wake.
We travel to the party island Ibiza, visit Holland’s hardcore fanatics, and DJ Jackmaster speaks out for the first time since he was accused of sexually harassing festival staff while he was on the drug.
Secrets of the Art Forgers
Forgery is one of the greatest challenges the art world faces today, with fakes and misattributions estimated to be as high as 50% of all works in the market.
Before his arrest, Billy “The Brush” Mumford forged over 1000 pieces that made their way across the globe. His best friend David Henty had equally thrived selling his fakes on eBay, with one of his Picasso copies recently going up for auction at £1 million.
Sydney Lima meets the two convicted forgers as they work to create a knock-off piece of art that could be accepted as real. Then she takes the piece to a forensic lab to see whether they can tell it’s a fake.
How Colonial-Era Laws Still Punish Gay People
A set of laws known as the penal code was exported from Britain to its colonies and is still affecting LGBTQ politics to this very day.
The penal code laws made being gay a criminal offence, and while Britain decriminalized homosexuality in 1967, it’s still illegal in over 30 former British colonies.
These countries didn’t have a history of homophobia before Britain enforced their own ideas of morality, but thanks to the empire these laws mean many live in fear. Zing Tsjeng investigates how the legacy of the empire is still ruining lives to this day.
Trapped: Inside South Korea’s Fringe Churches
Experts estimate there are 2 million South Koreans who are followers of fringe churches, but the exact figures are unknown. Shincheonji has allegedly become one of the most dominant fringe christian groups in recent years. Currently, it is estimated that there are over 250,000 Shincheonji Church followers within South Korea and internationally.
The Undercover Cop Exposing Police Corruption
A former undercover cop speaks about his experiences working on cases involving drugs, firearms, homicide, paedophilia and internal police corruption.