Millions of Britons have unknowingly chowed down on takeaway kebabs made with goat, skin, and fat instead of lamb - a fraud investigators say rivals the 2013 horsemeat lasagne scandal. BBC News has learned that Kismet Kebabs, one of the UK's largest doner kebab makers, sold these fraudulent kebabs to fast food outlets nationwide for years.

The company was fined £500,000 after pleading guilty to fraud dating back to 2021, having pocketed an estimated £6 million from the scheme. Kismet claimed the issues were 'historical' and occurred under 'different leadership.'

Trading standards officers in Swansea grew suspicious in 2020-2021 when random DNA tests on takeaway doner meat showed '70% lamb' products contained 'less than 10% sheep.' Swansea officer Rhys Harries noted, 'I think some customers won't be surprised there's a lot of skin and fat - but I don't think many people will be expecting goat.'

A 2021 raid on Kismet's Essex factory revealed no lamb being delivered - just pallets of goat, offcuts, fat, skin, and mutton. 'It all goes into a massive mincer and comes out looking like Play-Doh,' Harries said. Giant kebab sticks were labelled as 50-90% lamb, but one '87% lamb' kebab was found to be 40% animal fat. Some recipes showed only goat, beef fat, and chicken drumsticks.

Kismet - which won Best Supplier at the 2021 British Kebab Awards - was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £259,298 costs. Judge Huw Rees cited 'considerable dishonesty' over a prolonged period. The FSA insisted UK food safety remains high, while Kismet maintained it has since cleaned up its act and retained BRCGS accreditation.