A joint investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, BBC Panorama and the University of Bath has revealed thousands of leaked documents exposing a large-scale industrial espionage operation at the heart of BAT, reports ASH Daily News.

The documents shed light on a “shadowy world of spies and smugglers” operating in the sometimes violent tobacco market in southern Africa, particularly between 2012 and 2016.
The Bureau also reveals how one of BAT's operations spiralled out of control, leading to discussions about the potential payment of a USD 500,000 bribe to Robert Mugabe, then Zimbabwe's ruler, to rectify the situation. The bribe was allegedly demanded by an official in Mugabe's presidential office in the run-up to the dictator's successful re-election campaign in 2013, at a time when international sanctions and political unrest left his party, Zanu-PF, desperate for hard cash, the report said.
BAT rejects the accusations. “We emphatically reject the mischaracterisation of our conduct by some media outlets,” it said in a press release. “Acting responsibly and with integrity underpins the foundations of our culture and values as a company. BAT is committed to the highest standards of corporate conduct and transparency wherever we operate. BAT has long been committed to fighting the global criminal trade in illicit tobacco. As part of those efforts, BAT has sought to assist national law enforcement agencies in providing support and, in the past, intelligence on suspected illicit operators.”