The Crime Agents

You've seen it in the movies, but what does undercover policing really involve? What makes an effective covert officer, and just how brutal is it for the men and women who are brave enough to go incognito? And do you get paid more for crossing the thin blue line and infiltrating the very people you're trying to convict?In this episode, Andy and Neil explain the realities of undercover policing, with Neil drawing on his vast experience of deploying covert units throughout his career, and answering the key questions about what he describes as 'one of the most difficult jobs in policing'. They also speak to James Bannon, a former Met officer who went undercover in the 1980s with Millwall's notorious football firm - and whose story was later turned into the cult film, 'I.D'.Later, Andy speaks to Alice Levine about her new podcast 'Explosive Lies' - part of Global's 'Unmissables' series.Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

In light of Andy's recent investigation - which alleged that a former Met police officer was part of a VIP grooming gang - in this Q&A episode, he and Neil explain the signs to look out for if you suspect children are being groomed or exploited, and what to do if your suspicions turn out to be right.After December's horrific anti-semitic terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Neil also addresses how people become radicalised, and why it's vital for counter-terror police to have a proper understanding of the history of Islam to do their jobs effectively.Andy and Neil also return to the debate over juries, and in particular whether rape trials would be fairer if they were heard only by judges.Have a question for a future Q&A episode? Send it by email to [email protected] or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

The UK is the drugs capital of Europe, and more cocaine arrives here from Venezuela than from any other country. This week, in light of Donald Trump's operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Andy & Neil look at the impact this could have on Britain's drugs trade. Was Maduro really a narco-terrorist, like Pablo Escobar and El Chapo? They're joined by Tony Saggers, former head of intelligence at the NCA and an expert in global drug smuggling, to find out more about the role Venezuela plays in sending narcotics to the UK. Tony explains how likely it is that former President Maduro was running drugs cartels - as Trump alleges - and reveals how cocaine travels from remote parts of South America to the streets of London and Los Angeles. Later, Andy & Neil discuss who should play the leading roles when the Hollywood movie about this operation comes to be made.Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

In this Christmas special, Andy and Neil ask each other the questions they've always wanted to know the answers to. Andy explains how the unlikely combination of cricket and being sacked by his Dad let to him becoming a crime journalist - while Neil reveals the full details of how he ended up as a chocolate salesman on his way to joining the police.They also recall some of the funniest and most bizarre cases they've covered or been called out to during their careers, talk favourite cop movies and characters, and discuss their most memorable crime stories from 2025.Plus - find out whether it was Andy or Neil who once found themselves coming under attack from a two-seater sofa. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

This week, Andy and Neil unpick last weekend's events at Bondi Beach in Sydney, where 15 people were murdered in an ISIS-inspired, anti-Semitic terror attack. Andy recounts the details of exactly what happened - while Neil explains how Australian Police and security services will be investigating. Plus they both pay tribute to the incredible heroism of Ahmed al-Ahmed and others who put their lives at risk to try and stop the attack.Andy & Neil also tackle some of the questions to have emerged in the past few days, such as: did one of the terrorists slip through the net of Australia's security services? Should the father have been allowed to keep his firearms licence after his son had been identified as a potential terror threat? And why did both attackers travel to the Philippines shortly before committing this atrocity?Later, Andy reveals why Tommy Robinson is the latest far-right figure to claim he has converted to Christianity, and explains why the Christian faith is increasingly being weaponised and politicised by those on the right. Andy also describes what it was like being at Tommy Robinson's Christmas carol service in London last weekend.Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents