Chris Swales, owner of Chapel and Swan Smokehouse in the UK town of Exning, has been hit with a £37,000 ($47,949) loss after unknowingly shipping smoked salmon to a fake buyer, the BBC reported.

Swales believed he was sending the fish to a reputable French supermarket, only to discover it had been diverted to a suspicious location in East London, which he described as a "dodgy" car garage.

Swales realized the scam when he contacted the supermarket directly, after the supposed buyer delayed payment. He recounted feeling "physically sick" upon discovering the fraud, which has left his family-run business in financial distress.

"I was absolutely staggered," he was quoted as saying. "My branded product is out there in the black market and I have no control over where it is."

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau is investigating, while Suffolk Trading Standards warned food businesses to remain cautious of fraudulent orders.