Detect the ADE 651 Detection Equipment

[Dubious Dick]

Some of you may have seen Randis challenge to the ADE 651 posted recently. Unfortunately looks like they are having problems on the site at the moment, and the piece has temporarily disappeared (maybe a psychic enemy has sent in enemy thoughtwaves!!)

Anyway, it seems that this 'dowsing' equipment is being sold to detect all sorts of things e.g. explosives. And of course, if it does not work, as it cannot, then someone may get blown to smithereens as a result of this scam.

I have been trying to hunt the person/people down behind the scam, but the contact details on related websites appear to be fake or just p.o. boxes e.g. the Bristol address on the following site. The St. Helens one, according to their next door neighbours (a beauty shop - must pay a visit!) is either a barber shop or unoccupied barbershop above it.

http://www.cumberlandindustries.com/ade651.htm

http://www.atscltd.com/

Seems it is impossible to track it down at the moment. I have engaged the guy on You Tube. See here:

http://uk.youtube.com/comment_servle...&v=OyMP5dBSa2c

Anyone fancy joining in to try to locate him so we can try to get Trading Standards on to it?

[Mulder]

This might explain an odd conversation I had with a 'believer' recently. I was explaining how electrostatic detectors worked and he seemed to believe they could pick up field readings remotely. They cannot, only being able to measure the field where they are (just as an altimeter cannot tell you the height of anywhere except where you are). The use of an antenna makes no real difference. Perhaps the guy picked up the idea from this device.

[Dubious Dick]

Sorry, make that 'an unoccupied flat above a barbers'.

It's effectively just dowsing by another name as far as I can see, dressed up in fancy clothes.

[Matt]

Anyone fancy joining in to try to locate him so we can try to get Trading Standards on to it?

I can tell you who owns the domain atscltd.com

http://whois.domaintools.com/atscltd.com

owner-contact: P-JYM93
owner-organization: ATSC
owner-fname: Jim
owner-lname: McCormick
owner-street: Park Farm, Curry Rivel, SOMERSET
owner-city: Curry Rivel
owner-zip: TA10 0AE
owner-country: GB
owner-phone: +44.08448403750
owner-email:

Thought that may just be the guy who does their website.

Cumberland Industries.com is registered behind a privacy protector.

[Dubious Dick]

Should go into PI work Matt! Think this is the guy as have seen the name Mr. Jim on a blog which seems to have disappeared. Will get on to Trading Standards and see if they will go after him.

Cheers,
DD

[techowiz]

Hi DD,

In your quest to hunt these people down, information from companies house, states that, On the 10th October ATSC moved its registered office from, Rainford, St Helens to:

Dairy House Yard,
Sparkford,
Yeovil,
Somerset
BA22 7LH

DIRECTOR:
MCCORMICK, JAMES WILLIAM
Appointed:
24/07/1997
Nationality:
BRITISH
No. of Appointments:
3
Address:
PARK FARM

HAMBRIDGE

SOMERSET

TA10 0AE

SECRETARY:
THORNTON JAMES, ANNIE
Appointed:
01/08/2008
Nationality:
BRITISH
No. of Appointments:
1
Address:
4 MANOR FARM COTTAGES

BRADFORD ABBAS

SHERBORNE

DORSET

DT9 6RP

Like the way you tackled the guy on youtube.

[Dubious Dick]

Nice one Techo,

I will pass on to Trading Standards. Funny that the supposed appointed agents Cumberland were at the St. Helens address as well. Not clear what has happened to them. They seem to be on the run.

Someone on JREF is pursuing this as well, so will let them know.

DD

[techowiz]

Hi DD,

I think you will find that Trading Standards are pretty toothless in this matter. A point no doubt known when the guy you bated on youtube, used it as an excuse not to have to 'prove' his equipment.
From what I have read it sems these guys target the middle to far eastern countries and Africans, wonder why that is?
I note with interest they have not sold/marketed any in the UK or the US, probably because they know they would be arrested.
I did laugh when he said he had no need of a million dollars
He also admitted it would fail the JREF test, why did he not propose his own conditions then, if, as he believed the JREF was designed to fail him. Just so much BS, he gets really annoyed when not dealing with the gullible.
keep up the fight and post back any updates

[Dubious Dick]

As part of our investigations/campaign against the ADE651 and GT200/5000 we noticed that Global Technical claim UK government/MOD support.

This seemed odd to say the least!! After all, it was Gary Bolton and GT who were behind the MOLE which comprehensivelt failed the tests at the Sandia Labs in the U.S., and who then morphed the MOLE into the GT.

Anyway, I wrote to the MOD and received the following reply:

Dear Mr Sutherland,


Thank you for your e-mail of 05 November to the Ministry of Defence concerning Global Technical Limited.


I can confirm that the MOD are aware of one of the products that Global technical Limited are advertising and that it was trialled in November 1999, the outcome of which was broadly positive in favour of the product.


However, that you for bringing the matter to our attention and we will continue to monitor the situation.


Your sincerely,


Andrew Parrish


Now, since we know that the GT200/5000 was not existence back in 1999 he must be referring to the MOLE, and to hear that it trialled broadly positive suggests that the trials were flawed or that they were given an 'impressive' demo by Global technical, which would of course have been set up.


I will be writing to him asking some pointed questions to this effect.


However, given this interesting development Techo and I would like to try to get the media on to this. If anyone has any media connections, however tenuous please let us know. We can supply a lot of background information.


Thank you,
Dubious Dick

[Dubious Dick]

UPDATE. We have had a response from the Belgian Embassy in London who are looking into DELPAC, agents for ATSC and the ADE. So, some progress there.

We also have some serious media interest. Watch this space.

Anyone who has checked out Lumpys excellent blog at:

http://sniffexquestions.blogspot.com...-criminal.html

will have noted that there is another one of these damn frauds out there called the ALPHA 6. So far this is traced to a company called ComsTrac in the U.K. but details are very sketchy.

They have a website at:

http://www.comstrac.com/

and contact details as: Communication Tracking Systems ComsTrac Limited P.O.Box 33309 LondonNW11 6GZ Tel: +44-208-2018898 Fax: +44-845-2802659

Anyone is welcome to try to help out in checking this lot out, particularly if you have access to Companies House records to check out who is behind ComsTrac

Happy detecting!! HO HO.

[Trinoc]

will have noted that there is another one of these damn frauds out there called the ALPHA 6. So far this is traced to a company called ComsTrac in the U.K. but details are very sketchy.

They have a website at:

http://www.comstrac.com/

and contact details as: Communication Tracking Systems ComsTrac Limited P.O.Box 33309 LondonNW11 6GZ Tel: +44-208-2018898 Fax: +44-845-2802659

Anyone is welcome to try to help out in checking this lot out, particularly if you have access to Companies House records to check out who is behind ComsTrac

That's in the same postal area where I once lived. The post code appears to be the Golders Green sorting office. I thought it was now illegal to run a trading web site without giving a full registered company address.

I get the impression from a quick scan of Google results that the target customer base is typically gullible African governments.

Aha! An address here (which is plausible for the PO box address above). The address, 5 Lyttleton Rd N2 0DW, is the middle of a short shopping parade almost opposite where I used to live. A very old Kelly's Directory (1983) has the address as shared by a company of architects and an architecture and craft shop. I'll see if I can check it out next time I'm down that way.

A search on "5 Lyttelton Rd" seems to indicate an estate agent (which figures ... half the shops in that part of London seem to be estate agents).

[Dubious Dick]

Hi Trinoc, Thanks for having a look.

That's in the same postal area where I once lived. The post code appears to be the Golders Green sorting office. I thought it was now illegal to run a trading web site without giving a full registered company address.

Not sure about the issue of a trading website needing a registered address?

I get the impression from a quick scan of Google results that the target customer base is typically gullible African governments.

I think you mean gullible or corruptible! These and ATSC (ADE651) and Global Technical (GT200) all seem to target Middle and Far East, Africa and South america. Strange that!!

Aha! An address here (which is plausible for the PO box address above). The address, 5 Lyttleton Rd N2 0DW, is the middle of a short shopping parade almost opposite where I used to live. A very old Kelly's Directory (1983) has the address as shared by a company of architects and an architecture and craft shop. I'll see if I can check it out next time I'm down that way.

A search on "5 Lyttelton Rd" seems to indicate an estate agent (which figures ... half the shops in that part of London seem to be estate agents).

Be good if you can check out the address at some stage. I know that part of London vaguely. When I checked out the NW11 postcode on a mapping system it showed as in the middle of Big Wood!!

The M.D. is one Simon Sherrard. I can find nothing except references to a Director of Bibby Line and the Port of London Authority. Assuming not the same man, but....

[Trinoc]

Be good if you can check out the address at some stage. I know that part of London vaguely. When I checked out the NW11 postcode on a mapping system it showed as in the middle of Big Wood!!

I got that misdirection as well, but the location on the Applegate map page is correct. It's on the north side of the A1 just east of the junction with Ossulton Way.

PS. See the thread I just started in the "off topic" section about the phone number web site I discovered while investigating this.

[Song]

Hello D. D～

I am looking for your help.

I work for Yang Cheng Evening News, a news paper in Guangzhou, China. I am investigating GT200 which is now widely used in China. I have been suspicious with it since last year before Olympics, when lots of cities adopted GT200 for security purpose.

I got a report from Sandia laboratory in US, but I don't think it's enough to support my point. You have more evidence at hand? please contact zengsong22@hotmail.com

[Dubious Dick]

Hi Song,

I will get a more detailed response together for you from the various people involved in our campaign.

I can assure you that there is no technical reason why the GT200 would work.

One suggestion for you is to try to arrange for a double blind test maybe carried out under the a reputable physics department at a University. There are existing protocols for testing claims of dowsing which would be appropriate for you to propose as the basis for such tests.

In the meantime please take a look at the following information:

DOWSING RODS ENDANGER LIVES

U.K. Companies selling life threatening fake explosives and narcotics detectors

In October 2008, James Randi of the JREF, issued a challenge to a company called ATSC, offering them US $1,000,000 if they could prove, under controlled conditions, that their ADE 651 equipment worked as advertised. http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/231-a-direct-specific-challenge-from-james-randi-and-the-jref.html


ATSC refused to take the challenge. They have given no good reason, despite the considerable sum of money, and the immense publicity/sales they would derive from winning the prize by taking a simple double blind test.


Randi had previously challenged the makers of Quadro Tracker and SNIFFEX in the U.S. to test their products, and they also refused. The main people behind those companies have been prosecuted and heavily fined in the U.S. Both claimed similar, apparently miraculous capabilities. But, like all these products, were no more than fancy dowsing rods, dressed up in fancy technobabble. Dowsing in whatever form has long failed to provide any evidence for efficacy in proper testing.


Since the challenge to the ADE 651, a small group has been investigating and challenging ATSC, and other companies who market similar products in the U.K.

This paper is a condensed version of the available evidence regarding the use of dowsing rods as explosives detectors.

Three companies in the UK have been identified selling these devices:
ATSC Ltd
Global Technical Limited
Coms Trac Ltd
For details see Appendix

HISTORY
It seems these devices first came onto the market in the early 1990's. Possibly the first was the Quadro Tracker QRS250G sold by the Quadro Corp of South Carolina, USA as a detector of just about anything. The Quadro Tracker was a hand held device with a telescoping antenna that would freely swivel, and supposedly point to the target material. It was exposed by James Randi more than a decade ago in 1995/1996, before the Department of Justice prosecuted the founders of the company.
http://skepdic.com/quadro.html
http://www.reason.com/news/show/30037.html
http://www.ih2000.net/ira/quad0422.htm

The next to emerge was the DKL Lifeguard. Allegedly designed to find people in a search and rescue operation or even as claimed in a manhunt.

The first UK version was the MOLE detection system, marketed by Gary Bolton of Global Technical Limited. This device was put up for testing at the Sandia National Laboratories in January 2002. It was tested by Dale Murray who was in charge of Entry Control and Contraband Detection Department at the Laboratory. For the full transcript of the test see here:
http://www.justnet.org/Lists/JUSTNET%20Resources/Attachments/440/moleeval_apr02.pdf

The MOLE was shown to operate no better than chance. The operator of the MOLE at this test was Robert Balais, working in partnership with Jim McCormick. As a result of the poor performance of the MOLE in this test, Gary Bolton stopped Jim McCormick and Robert Balais having anything more to do with sales of the MOLE.

McCormick and Balais then formed ATSC, originally registered in the USA. Soon after they launched the ADE 650 onto the market. ATSC are now a direct competitor to Global Technical and there is considerable bad feeling between the two companies.

In an effort to distance himself from the poor performance of the MOLE, Bolton made minor changes to the product and re-named it the, GT200. The Global Technical website claims to have, ‘government support’ for his equipment. At this time it is not known if this is for the GT200, or other products he sells. We believe that these claims of Government support, and the use of a REME base for unofficial demonstrations of these products, is fraudulent.


We have also discovered another UK device, the Alpha 6 sold and marketed by Comstrac.


This has been a very lucrative market for the companies involved, with prices between 10,000 Euros and 25,000 Euros per device, whilst costing as little as 250 Euros each to produce. With lucrative training courses added in, the potential for a quick and considerable profit is easy to see.
It is estimated that ADE 651 sales in Iraq top USD$2 Million. ADE have also apparently sold to a number of countries including Niger, China, Hong Kong, Mexico, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia


The main markets appear to be Far East, Middle East, Africa, Asia, South America and Eastern Europe. We believe that sales rely on corruption of local officials in the target markets.


We are not aware of a sale of any significance to any Western European, U.S. Canadian, Australian or New Zealand Government, Armed Forces or Security Services.

Devices and Claims for Operation


There have been various claims and so called technical explanations for these products by the different companies, despite all the products apparently working on the same old dowsing principle of a free swinging rod.

ADE 651

On the ATSC website they claim the working principle for their equipment is:

‘ATSC's proprietary application of electrostatic ion attraction, (also referred to as Electrostatic Attraction (ESA)'.


Specifically Jim McCormick has stated it does not work by smell.

This is contradicted by their authorised distributor in Lebanon, Prosec, (www.prosec.com), who state the working principle is:

'The working principal(sic) is based on electrochemical (Thermo-Redox) detection'.

It would appear that even those that sell and manufacture these frauds do not know what principle they are supposed to work under. In fact, despite extensive enquiries and study, we can find no supporting evidence for the technical claims of these products whatsoever.

As seen on the ATSC website, the equipment is always a free floating antenna, connected to a handle, which in turn is connected by a cable to what is called the card reader. Inside the card reader you place the ‘substance cards’. They claim these can be programmed for explosives, drugs, ivory and even truffles!!!! This equipment needs no external power such as batteries or mains electricity. It claims it's power from the static electricity produced by the human body. Ranges for detection are given as 600 metres to 5 KM!

GT200
On the Global Technical website they make no claim for the working principle behind their device. However check the photographs and once again we see the old free swinging antenna, needing no power, and yes you have guessed it, running on the static electricity created by the human body. No detection range given.


Alpha6
Comstrac claim on their website that the working principle for their equipment is:
‘Molecular resonance using molecular recognition of programmed contabrands (sic)’
It may be no surprise to see that once again the free swinging antenna is in use and powered by static electricity. Ranges for this device are given as, NO LESS than 200-300metres and can be programmed with the usual full list of explosives and drugs.

Conclusion

The working principles claimed for these devices are not credible.


The really worrying element about all of this is that these devices are sold to Military Units and Police Forces, usually in third world countries where purchase control is very weak. The devices are sold as explosives and drug detectors when the reality is that they are not capable of detecting anything. Somebody is going to be seriously hurt or killed using or relying on these devices to detect explosives, if they haven’t already.


The fact that they are being marketed and distributed by U.K. Companies is disturbing.

For a comprehensive start to finish tale of these devices please check out the excellent blog at:
http://sniffexquestions.blogspot.com/
Other blogs highlighting the danger of these devices are at:
http://explosivedetectorfrauds.blogspot.com/
http://ade651gt200scamfraud.blogspot.com/


COMPANY DETAILS:


Selling – ADE651
ATSC (UK)
DAIRY HOUSE YARD
SPARKFORD
YEOVIL
SOMERSET
BA22 7LH
Tel. +44 208 144 9925
www.atscltd.com
Director
James William McCormick
Home address
Park Farm,
Curry Rivel,
Somerset
TA10 0AE

Selling – GT200
Global Technical Limited
Unit 7,
The Glenmore Centre,
Moat Way,
Sevington,
Ashford
Kent
TN24 0TL
Tel: 01233 501721
Fax: 08701 694017
Mob: 07766 527769
www.globaltechnical.co.uk
Director
Gary Bolton
Home Address
COPPERFIELDS
DAVID STREET
MEOPHAM
GRAVESEND
KENT
DA130BT


Selling – Alpha6
Comstrac Ltd
5, LYTTELTON ROAD
EAST FINCHLEY
LONDON
N2 0DW
Tel: 02082018898
Fax: 0845 280 2659
www.comstrac.com
Director
Simon Sherrard
Home address
8, Hill Rise,
London
NW11 6NA