Barbers, Nail Salons and Vape Shops

What is the deal with these?

I always dismissed some of the accusations as the usual right wing propaganda but they are everywhere, particularly barbers and there is no way they can all be making money legitimately.

There was a barber near my parents for years. I got my hair cut there as a teenager and my dad used him as well. He closed up for good a while back saying he couldn't make it pay anymore. The shop is now occupied by another barber, the shop next door is a barber, go up 5 steps and 20 yards round the corner and there is.......a barber. About a quarter of a mile down the road a vacant unit has not long opened as a barber and another 200 yards along the street there is a barber.

Near me on Niddrie Mains Road there are 3 barbers about 50 yards apart. One also specialises in the totally related fields of phone repairs and vape sales. There is another barber on Milton Road that I have literally never seen a customer in. Every time I pass there is one guy is sitting on his phone. Portobello High street has at least 5 barbers on a half mile drag.

There are all kinds of explanations on social media that verge from the racist to the believable. They can't all be legit though can they? It must be money laundering of some description surely? A business that could easily be handling a lot of cash seems as good a front as any I suppose.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

What is the deal with these?

I always dismissed some of the accusations as the usual right wing propaganda but they are everywhere, particularly barbers and there is no way they can all be making money legitimately.

There was a barber near my parents for years. I got my hair cut there as a teenager and my dad used him as well. He closed up for good a while back saying he couldn't make it pay anymore. The shop is now occupied by another barber, the shop next door is a barber, go up 5 steps and 20 yards round the corner and there is.......a barber. About a quarter of a mile down the road a vacant unit has not long opened as a barber and another 200 yards along the street there is a barber.

Near me on Niddrie Mains Road there are 3 barbers about 50 yards apart. One also specialises in the totally related fields of phone repairs and vape sales. There is another barber on Milton Road that I have literally never seen a customer in. Every time I pass there is one guy is sitting on his phone. Portobello High street has at least 5 barbers on a half mile drag.

There are all kinds of explanations on social media that verge from the racist to the believable. They can't all be legit though can they? It must be money laundering of some description surely? A business that could easily be handling a lot of cash seems as good a front as any I suppose.

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Money laundering, simple.

Ignore the racist pish though.

I've wondered about this myself.

Some streets in Glasgow have so many nail bars, barbers, ice cream shops, tanning salons and other businesses that surely have a limited customer base, considering how many there are in close proximity.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

What is the deal with these?

I always dismissed some of the accusations as the usual right wing propaganda but they are everywhere, particularly barbers and there is no way they can all be making money legitimately.

There was a barber near my parents for years. I got my hair cut there as a teenager and my dad used him as well. He closed up for good a while back saying he couldn't make it pay anymore. The shop is now occupied by another barber, the shop next door is a barber, go up 5 steps and 20 yards round the corner and there is.......a barber. About a quarter of a mile down the road a vacant unit has not long opened as a barber and another 200 yards along the street there is a barber.

Near me on Niddrie Mains Road there are 3 barbers about 50 yards apart. One also specialises in the totally related fields of phone repairs and vape sales. There is another barber on Milton Road that I have literally never seen a customer in. Every time I pass there is one guy is sitting on his phone. Portobello High street has at least 5 barbers on a half mile drag.

There are all kinds of explanations on social media that verge from the racist to the believable. They can't all be legit though can they? It must be money laundering of some description surely? A business that could easily be handling a lot of cash seems as good a front as any I suppose.

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Same over here. Before I moved out of Berlin 10 years back, I lived in the area that had most restaurants per inhabitants. About 15 years ago the restaurants started closing and one by one were replaced with tattoo parlours, betting shops and barbershops. Only the barbershops ever had any customers but no where near enough to turn a profit. IMO the only explanation can be money laundering.

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Originally Posted by Keith_M

I've wondered about this myself.

Some streets in Glasgow have so many nail bars, barbers, ice cream shops, tanning salons and other businesses that surely have a limited customer base, considering how many there are in close proximity.

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Ice cream and dessert shops is another one. Everywhere.

Post brexit, these, charity shops & coffee shops are Britain's growth industries. Right behind food banks.

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I have my own business - in a sector that the untrained eye would think it’s easy to be successful in - and it’s become much more challenging to make a profit over the past few years, so I often look at other businesses and wonder how on Earth they manage to survive.

Labour costs will presumably be cheap for a lot of them, that’s often the killer. But heating premises, heating water, rates, loan repayments then cost of credit servicing loans, insurance etc etc - most businesses just look like money pits.

My sense of optimism left the building some time ago, which is a problem when you’re the leader trying to be the ray of light.

But yeah, I look at all of that and think wtf too. Is that what there is demand for in Brexit Britain or is it something else?

Add American sweet shops to the list. Private Eye did a thing on them, in London, a while back before we got the same in Edinburgh.

I'm not sure about some of the Indian street food places either.

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Originally Posted by Jack

Add American sweet shops to the list. Private Eye did a thing on them, in London, a while back before we got the same in Edinburgh.

I'm not sure about some of the Indian street food places either.

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Possibly this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rd-Street.html

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

Possibly this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rd-Street.html

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It's almost as bad as luring vulnerable pensioners into buying hard copies of the Daily Mail[emoji6]



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Originally Posted by Bostonhibby

It's almost as bad as luring vulnerable pensioners into buying hard copies of the Daily Mail[emoji6]



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:greengrin

tbf, that story is on many sites. The Mail version seemed to be the easiest to understand.

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

:greengrin

tbf, that story is on many sites. The Mail version seemed to be the easiest to understand.

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Consistent with its target audience.

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

Possibly this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rd-Street.html

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I prefer the Private Eye articles but appreciate they're not available online 😆

That's the gist of it though. If only councils in Scotland followed Westminster's (council) lead.

With the barbers, is it not just supply and demand? All the ones in Corstorphine are always flat out busy. Maybe blokes are going more than every 6 weeks these days, especially with all the beard trimming? [emoji2369]
I would suspect money laundering if they were all empty but that doesn’t appear to be the case?


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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

With the barbers, is it not just supply and demand? All the ones in Corstorphine are always flat out busy. Maybe blokes are going more than every 6 weeks these days, especially with all the beard trimming? [emoji2369]
I would suspect money laundering if they were all empty but that doesn’t appear to be the case?


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Considering the amount of bald jambos I know and see, this surprises me.

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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

With the barbers, is it not just supply and demand? All the ones in Corstorphine are always flat out busy. Maybe blokes are going more than every 6 weeks these days, especially with all the beard trimming? [emoji2369]
I would suspect money laundering if they were all empty but that doesn’t appear to be the case?


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I wonder if there will be peak and off peak times with barbers too - like pubs etc (who may make the lion’s share of their profits on a Friday and Saturday night), might they have the place rammed at weekends and the place near empty through the week?

I read a thread from an actuary, the numbers are a guess but roughly he said. He lived in a town of less than 10k people within 5 miles and had 5 Turkish barbers. He worked out every male would have to have a haircut once a month just to cover rents and rates. That doesnt take in staff, electricity, people who cut their own hair or are bald.

The one beside me has two 100k Range Rovers outside regularly and is pretty dead most of the time.

The government probably knows they are fronts but it's fills up empty dying high streets and gets them some tax from the drug money, plus from landlords, electricity and the council gets money from council tax.

I'll copy and paste
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rs-profit.html

There are now 17,702 nationwide, a 50 per cent increase since 2018, with 918 new establishments opening in the last year alone, the National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) said.

There are 5 barbers about 500 yards from me, i use one and he's nearly always busy. £12.50 a cut, it's not hard to see where he can make money.

I go in and normally there's 4 or 5 waiting, 15 minutes to cut each person, the money can mount up over a day/week.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

Near me on Niddrie Mains Road there are 3 barbers about 50 yards apart. One also specialises in the totally related fields of phone repairs and vape sales.

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How about the Sushi place at the crossroads? Never seems to be open and when it is it always looks mostly empty. The concept of a sushi restaurant in Niddrie seemed a bit off from the start.

Obviously not all barber shops are born the same but the ones you are alluding to are money laundering fronts for drug money, simple as that.

Said the same about a couple of pubs near me.

I speak to the landlord when I’m out with the dog. Alright guy, bit of a gob*****, but he’s forever away to Dubai, eating in the finest restaurants, wandering around with his numerous Canada Goose jackets and out on the lash in all the other pubs and bars around the area. And there’s absolutely no chance in hell he’s turning a profit from the 2 (now 1 after he gave 1 up) pubs he’s got, infact he simply has to be making huge losses.

How does a business with no customers launder money? Do they simply book themselves out to make them look a lot busier than they are on paper?

There's similar in Lanark, numerous barbers with no customers and big motors parked up out front. The only busy one is the one I use which is part of a chain in South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

As a stated above, the barbers I see are always busy. Younger men these days go to the barbers FAR more frequently than my generation. I'm 51, have a short back & sides hair cut and have gone for a hair cut once a month religiously since I were a lad. My 18 year old step son goes at least once a fortnight. I have a family member who's a hipster barber in Stirling. He has many clients who pay by monthly direct debit and go every week, without fail, for their (to the bone) skin fades.

Vape shops and tanning joints on the other hand.......I remember a few years ago reading a report that if the numbers declared by Glasgow tanning studios were accurate, the average Glaswegian would be black!

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Originally Posted by Frazerbob

As a stated above, the barbers I see are always busy. Younger men these days go to the barbers FAR more frequently than my generation. I'm 51, have a short back & sides hair cut and have gone for a hair cut once a month religiously since I were a lad. My 18 year old step son goes at least once a fortnight. I have a family member who's a hipster barber in Stirling. He has many clients who pay by monthly direct debit and go every week, without fail, for their (to the bone) skin fades.

Vape shops and tanning joints on the other hand.......I remember a few years ago reading a report that if the numbers declared by Glasgow tanning studios were accurate, the average Glaswegian would be black!

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There are definitely barbers that are busy. A guy I was at school with is part owner of Rag & Bone which is very successful and busy and he previously worked for Boombarbers which is likewise.

The barbers I use is generally busy. There are others though, including one right next door to where I go that are never busy. There is one guy who sits in the shop day in, day out and I have never, ever seen him cut anyone's hair. Across the course of an hour or so a couple of fancy cars will pull up, nip inside for a minute or 2 then leave again. If it's legit then I'm a Hearts fan.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

There are definitely barbers that are busy. A guy I was at school with is part owner of Rag & Bone which is very successful and busy and he previously worked for Boombarbers which is likewise.

The barbers I use is generally busy. There are others though, including one right next door to where I go that are never busy. There is one guy who sits in the shop day in, day out and I have never, ever seen him cut anyone's hair. Across the course of an hour or so a couple of fancy cars will pull up, nip inside for a minute or 2 then leave again. If it's legit then I'm a Hearts fan.

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Haha. I don't doubt that, like every type of business, there are barbers that are up to nonsense.

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Originally Posted by Jones28

How does a business with no customers launder money? Do they simply book themselves out to make them look a lot busier than they are on paper?

There's similar in Lanark, numerous barbers with no customers and big motors parked up out front. The only busy one is the one I use which is part of a chain in South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

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They just walk into the bank each morning with a large amount of money they claim were takings.


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Originally Posted by Jones28

How does a business with no customers launder money? Do they simply book themselves out to make them look a lot busier than they are on paper?

There's similar in Lanark, numerous barbers with no customers and big motors parked up out front. The only busy one is the one I use which is part of a chain in South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

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They declare excessive amounts to HMRC, backed up by records and bank accounts showing cash going in, pay the tax, and the net amount is theirs.

These days, with anti money-laundering legislation in place, it can be quite difficult to do. Lawyers, accountants and banks are legally bound to report any suspicion of ML, and HMRC play their part too.

My suspicion is that the police are well aware of the ML side of things (they will get enough reports not to be), but the source of the cash is more important to them. They will chase that source as a priority, and any ML charges will come as an add-on.

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

They declare excessive amounts to HMRC, backed up by records and bank accounts showing cash going in, pay the tax, and the net amount is theirs.

These days, with anti money-laundering legislation in place, it can be quite difficult to do. Lawyers, accountants and banks are legally bound to report any suspicion of ML, and HMRC play their part too.

My suspicion is that the police are well aware of the ML side of things (they will get enough reports not to be), but the source of the cash is more important to them. They will chase that source as a priority, and any ML charges will come as an add-on.

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A few years back there were 2 guys who used to come into the bookies I used at Eyre Place (now closed). They would each load a couple of hundred quid into the FOBTs, play a single spin at £2, stand about for a bit then cash it out. They would take the slip to the counter, claim their 'winnings' and ask for a receipt for the pay out amount.

Story was they would do this in bookies all over Edinburgh and beyond so that if the police caught them with large amounts of cash on their person they could show the receipts as proof it was gambling winnings.

Not really money laundering as such and pretty unsophisticated and I always wondered if the police would buy it. They would have had to have been the luckiest punters in Scotland.

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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

They just walk into the bank each morning with a large amount of money they claim were takings.


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But surely they need receipts for purchases and sales, for their account s

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Originally Posted by Billy Whizz

But surely they need receipts for purchases and sales, for their account s

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They will process fake appointments and claim to be busy.

Bostons second hand shop on Leith Walk was a perfect example of all of the above with regards a front for dubious transactions.

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

Bostons second hand shop on Leith Walk was a perfect example of all of the above with regards a front for dubious transactions.

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Boston's was brilliant, like an early version of the middle of Lidl, could get a samurai sword, a pneumatic drill and a fruit machine

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Originally Posted by Billy Whizz

But surely they need receipts for purchases and sales, for their account s

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I never get a receipt at the barbers? And they don’t have to purchase much? All the costs are like paying tax for them.


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Originally Posted by Billy Whizz

But surely they need receipts for purchases and sales, for their account s

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Originally Posted by Frazerbob

They will process fake appointments and claim to be busy.

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The bank isn't interested in paperwork. They just process the cash.

HMRC very rarely ask for paperwork.

Accountants process the numbers in the records. Paperwork is generally only referred to if there is doubt, or clarification is needed. The "better " launderers will avoid accountants, or use those who aren't registered with any body that has anti-ML responsibilities.

My local Turkish barber offers discount for cash payment and gives a seriously scary death scare if you have to pay by card :greengrin

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Originally Posted by Wembley67

My local Turkish barber offers discount for cash payment and gives a seriously scary death scare if you have to pay by card :greengrin

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Mine flat out refuses anything but cash.


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Originally Posted by Wembley67

My local Turkish barber offers discount for cash payment and gives a seriously scary death scare if you have to pay by card :greengrin

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I was at mine last week - he said the card machine was down and pointed me to the nearby cash machine.

Even taxi drivers are mainly card now, barbers seem to be the last bastion of “cash only”.

I wonder why? 😂

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Originally Posted by Smartie

I was at mine last week - he said the card machine was down and pointed me to the nearby cash machine.

Even taxi drivers are mainly card now, barbers seem to be the last bastion of “cash only”.

I wonder why? [emoji23]

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Acorrding to my son and nieces, nightclubs regularly have a two hour window where the card machines go down and it’s cash only at the bar. And at the door.


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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

Acorrding to my son and nieces, nightclubs regularly have a two hour window where the card machines go down and it’s cash only at the bar. And at the door.


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That's less about money-laundering, more about tax evasion.

In years gone by, football clubs would "forget" to count the money from a couple of gates, and that cash would resurface in players' boots... the so-called "boot-money".

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

That's less about money-laundering, more about tax evasion.

In years gone by, football clubs would "forget" to count the money from a couple of gates, and that cash would resurface in players' boots... the so-called "boot-money".

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Yes, I agree.[emoji106]


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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

That's less about money-laundering, more about tax evasion.

In years gone by, football clubs would "forget" to count the money from a couple of gates, and that cash would resurface in players' boots... the so-called "boot-money".

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It’s funny, in the days of Mercer & Waugh, both clubs were often accused of declaring lower crowds than actually attended. These days it’s the opposite. lol

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Originally Posted by Mon Dieu4

Boston's was brilliant, like an early version of the middle of Lidl, could get a samurai sword, a pneumatic drill and a fruit machine

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He would then phone the polis and say someone is walking up the road with a stolen guitar and bike.

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Originally Posted by silverhibee

He would then phone the polis and say someone is walking up the road with a stolen guitar and bike.

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He used to break into houses around the Inverleith area and sell the stuff in his store, especially expensive golf clubs etc, the Police knew but he always struck deals with them as he was believed to be an informer

Roddy McLean book is an interesting read Attachment 28426

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

He used to break into houses around the Inverleith area and sell the stuff in his store, especially expensive golf clubs etc, the Police knew but he always struck deals with them as he was believed to be an informer

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Wouldn't shock me if the police were among his biggest customers.

My grandad had a pal who was a renowned shoplifter way back when. It was rumoured that half of Fettes were throwing luxury watches and designer suits into Inverleith Pond when a few high heid yins from elsewhere were sent in to investigate.

There was more than a couple of Hibs players who availed themselves of said gentleman's services as well. Allegedly:greengrin

These trends are everywhere, that's a fact. In Nottingham, there is a main arterial road into the city called Mansfield Road. The nearest description I'd have given it in the past is it's similar to Leith Walk. It used to be a well-used pub crawl with 9/10 pubs along it in around a quarter of a mile and a good number of restaurants, some of them really well reputed. Now there are 3 pubs that still linger and 2 restaurants. As similarly recorded in the thread, there are now 8 barbers clustered in .2 of a mile and another 8 wider within a further quarter mile. The obligatory desert/ice cream shop, various takeaways of varied appeal and a number of vape shops and nail shops.

Some of the barbershops are open until 11pm. Does anyone really have a haircut at that time? I see very few customers in any of them ar various times of the day or evening. It used to be a lively and fun area, now it's dreary, full of crime and with little of interest. The pavements are comparitively empty.

The once-proliferation of bettings shops can be explained easily. Each shop is allowed up to four fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) only. In the past, betting companies would simply open more and more shops on the high street in order to place four more of these high-profit machines to the public. In more recent times the machines have become more restricted in terms of stakes and have lost the popularity they once had. A big part of that too is the inexorable growth of online betting where people basically carry an online casino around in their pocket by way of a mobile phone. The industry has reacted by closing more and more betting shops gradually.

I passed the trophy shop at Slateford at the weekend. Even if they do extras like cutting keys etc, how can that possibly be a profitable business. Just how many folk or kids teams regularly need a cheap plastic trophy or medal?

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Originally Posted by The Modfather

I passed the trophy shop at Slateford at the weekend. Even if they do extras like cutting keys etc, how can that possibly be a profitable business. Just how many folk or kids teams regularly need a cheap plastic trophy or medal?

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Is this a big team related question?

It's been a while without a trophy and maybe Levein & Medals MacKay have been looking in their window.

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Originally Posted by The Modfather

I passed the trophy shop at Slateford at the weekend. Even if they do extras like cutting keys etc, how can that possibly be a profitable business. Just how many folk or kids teams regularly need a cheap plastic trophy or medal?

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Every team needs them almost annually for POTY nights. And just about every kid walk home with one.


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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

Every team needs them almost annually for POTY nights. And just about every kid walk home with one.


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Is that enough to sustain a business? Maybe it is, it must be as they’ve been around for years I suppose. Not a business I thought would be able to survive.

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Originally Posted by The Modfather

Is that enough to sustain a business? Maybe it is, it must be as they’ve been around for years I suppose. Not a business I thought would be able to survive.

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I’ve only ever used the one at Ferry Road but it’s busy enough. Seems to be about three people work there. Every kids sport needs them. Both my kids got at least a couple of worthless plastic trophies a year without breaking sweat or being particularly gifted. I think it’s the same for most kids. Footy, rugby, dance, swimming etc. Future landfills every single year.


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Originally Posted by The Modfather

Is that enough to sustain a business? Maybe it is, it must be as they’ve been around for years I suppose. Not a business I thought would be able to survive.

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The market isn't flooded, so as long as they're giving a decent service, they will get repeat business every year.

580 pages in their catalogue :cb

https://www.activityawards.co.uk/what-we-do/

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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

I’ve only ever used the one at Ferry Road but it’s busy enough. Seems to be about three people work there. Every kids sport needs them. Both my kids got at least a couple of worthless plastic trophies a year without breaking sweat or being particularly gifted. I think it’s the same for most kids. Footy, rugby, dance, swimming etc. Future landfills every single year.


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How dare you?

I still have my Highland Dancing medals from my childhood. Just waiting for the right moment (and offer) to donate them, and my bronzed dancing shoes, to the People's Story museum. :greengrin

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Originally Posted by Mon Dieu4

Boston's was brilliant, like an early version of the middle of Lidl, could get a samurai sword, a pneumatic drill and a fruit machine

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You as well?


:greengrin

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

The market isn't flooded, so as long as they're giving a decent service, they will get repeat business every year.

580 pages in their catalogue :cb

https://www.activityawards.co.uk/what-we-do/

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They have certainly kept with the times. They even sell Padel trophies, fair play to them. A simple business but they appear to do it well.

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Originally Posted by The Modfather

Is that enough to sustain a business? Maybe it is, it must be as they’ve been around for years I suppose. Not a business I thought would be able to survive.

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You’ll also sometimes get businesses that seem empty or quiet in person but have a significant online presence and do a roaring trade via the internet.

Not possible with the barbers.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

You’ll also sometimes get businesses that seem empty or quiet in person but have a significant online presence and do a roaring trade via the internet.

Not possible with the barbers.

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Stamp shop at goldenacre?


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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

Stamp shop at goldenacre?


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Bobby Murray, who started that business waaay back, was a childhood pal. Again, a niche, with a mail-order customer-base that obviously became online.

It's only in the last few years that he has sold on.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

I was at mine last week - he said the card machine was down and pointed me to the nearby cash machine.

Even taxi drivers are mainly card now, barbers seem to be the last bastion of “cash only”.

I wonder why? 😂

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There’s plenty a Chinese takeaway that’s cash only. :greengrin

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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

With the barbers, is it not just supply and demand? All the ones in Corstorphine are always flat out busy. Maybe blokes are going more than every 6 weeks these days, especially with all the beard trimming? [emoji2369]
I would suspect money laundering if they were all empty but that doesn’t appear to be the case?

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My two teenage boys get their hair cut once a month for the eldest and once every two month for the youngest. £17 a pop of a skin fade.

I’m the mug paying for it. Also ironic that I’m a bald man shelling out for haircuts.

J

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Originally Posted by Jones28

How does a business with no customers launder money? Do they simply book themselves out to make them look a lot busier than they are on paper?

There's similar in Lanark, numerous barbers with no customers and big motors parked up out front. The only busy one is the one I use which is part of a chain in South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

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Correct. Just wash the money through as if it was a packed out barber shop. Then the money from nefarious means is clean, accounted for and the owner can explain the £100k Range Rovers. They'd pay a bit of tax, but that’s the cost of business.

Amazing though in this day and age of dabbing your card how many customers must pay cash.

J

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Originally Posted by The Modfather

I passed the trophy shop at Slateford at the weekend. Even if they do extras like cutting keys etc, how can that possibly be a profitable business. Just how many folk or kids teams regularly need a cheap plastic trophy or medal?

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online? Repeat business over the years? They’re well established no?

The business to be in is the shopfitting business tho - the amount of restaurants that repeatedly failed but then went through a refit before reopening as another business in Abbeyhill since we moved back in 2001 was ridiculous…. Stabilised now mind.

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Originally Posted by Viva_Palmeiras

The business to be in is the shopfitting business tho - the amount of restaurants that repeatedly failed but then went through a refit before reopening as another business in Abbeyhill since we moved back in 2001 was ridiculous…. Stabilised now mind.

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I think restaurants have one of the highest business failure rates. A lot of people imagine it being different than the reality of trying to turn a profit in a highly competitive market.


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Originally Posted by Viva_Palmeiras

online? Repeat business over the years? They’re well established no?

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Yeah a place I visited for many years for football trophies for players of the year awards etc, Im sure it was the go to place for Maybury, Saturday and Sunday amateur leagues as well as 5 aside tourneys and thats just for football, no doubt bowls, golf, croquet etc used it.

Alpha Sports was it called ?

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Originally Posted by Jack

Add American sweet shops to the list. Private Eye did a thing on them, in London, a while back before we got the same in Edinburgh.

I'm not sure about some of the Indian street food places either.

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Councils closed a lot of them down in London. Money laundering, fake goods.

Another is taking a shop/food unit, washing a load of cash through supposed fit-outs etc that never really happen and then dissappearing.

Fake coffee shops as well which tell you to f off if you go in and ask for a coffee!!!

Porty High St has about 6 barbers and 3-4 nail/beauty salons. I've been going to the same barber, Salon La Greca at western corner for about 20 years now, currently paying £10 due to now being 66yr old. 😁

This might be the most naive thing I’ve ever said… but is there even that much crime going on, leading to such a significant amount of money needing laundered?

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Originally Posted by Smartie

This might be the most naive thing I’ve ever said… but is there even that much crime going on, leading to such a significant amount of money needing laundered?

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The amount of folk on cocaine these days I’d presume there must be plenty cash needing washed.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

This might be the most naive thing I’ve ever said… but is there even that much crime going on, leading to such a significant amount of money needing laundered?

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It's estimated over £10 billion in street drugs are bought in the UK each year, that's a lot of washing

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Originally Posted by Stairway 2 7

It's estimated over £10 billion in street drugs are bought in the UK each year, that's a lot of washing

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9.4 Billion according to UK Gov. If Edinburgh had a per capita share of that then 70 Million quid would need washed a year. That is about a 12 quid haircut once a month for every occupant of Edinburgh

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

He used to break into houses around the Inverleith area and sell the stuff in his store, especially expensive golf clubs etc, the Police knew but he always struck deals with them as he was believed to be an informer

Roddy McLean book is an interesting read Attachment 28426

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He had the big massive house at Trinity with big boat and luxury cars, seemingly passed away after allegedly escaping from a open prison down south but were reports that he was living in South Africa, he obviously had contacts in high up places, killed a coastguard if I remember right when caught with a load of hash on a boat, boasted that he killed for the government.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

This might be the most naive thing I’ve ever said… but is there even that much crime going on, leading to such a significant amount of money needing laundered?

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Cocaine and weed is everywhere, it’s a lot of money to be laundered every week, my problem with the barbers are I don’t think they are the drug dealers but launder for people higher up in that business, but how do they afford the high end cars or are they on finance through the business, I’m sure these barbers are busy on the weekends and they get enough through the week to tick things over.

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Originally Posted by silverhibee

Cocaine and weed is everywhere, it’s a lot of money to be laundered every week, my problem with the barbers are I don’t think they are the drug dealers but launder for people higher up in that business, but how do they afford the high end cars or are they on finance through the business, I’m sure these barbers are busy on the weekends and they get enough through the week to tick things over.

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My main problem with it is they have literally killed off the high street in the area I used to live. Unless you want your hair cut, your nose piercing, a tattoo, your nails done or to put on a bet, then you have to travel further afield. The legitimate businesses are suffering because of it too, walk by customers have decreased due to the lack of variety in the shops.

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Originally Posted by silverhibee

Cocaine and weed is everywhere, it’s a lot of money to be laundered every week, my problem with the barbers are I don’t think they are the drug dealers but launder for people higher up in that business, but how do they afford the high end cars or are they on finance through the business, I’m sure these barbers are busy on the weekends and they get enough through the week to tick things over.

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Imagine if we just legalised weed. Like they do in many European countries including multiple states in America.

Think of the Tax revenue we could pull in. Taking the network away from criminals.

But no.

J

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Originally Posted by Bristolhibby

Correct. Just wash the money through as if it was a packed out barber shop. Then the money from nefarious means is clean, accounted for and the owner can explain the £100k Range Rovers. They'd pay a bit of tax, but that’s the cost of business.

Amazing though in this day and age of dabbing your card how many customers must pay cash.

J

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Surely for money laundering purposes, a few card transactions is of benefit to them. Makes them look more legit and provides a potential paper trail for some legitimate transactions which might make them look less dodgy overall. Different for tax evasion, granted.

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Originally Posted by greenlex

There’s plenty a Chinese takeaway that’s cash only. :greengrin

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I'm not meaning to veer into racial stereotypes here but that could be for non-money laundering or tax evasion reasons. When I used to work late shifts at the cinema at Ocean Terminal, I'd drive past the old casino in Leith Docks late at night (11/12) and it would be crazy the amount of Asian people getting out of cars with what looked like swag bags, presumably full of cash. Looked like they literally closed up their business for the night, took the takings and were putting it all on 15 black.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

This might be the most naive thing I’ve ever said… but is there even that much crime going on, leading to such a significant amount of money needing laundered?

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Yes - drugs, prostitution, sale of stolen goods, people trafficking, IPTV. The list goes on. The people higher up the chain won't want it all going through the one "legitimate" business either, hence why there are loads of these types of places.

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Originally Posted by overdrive

Surely for money laundering purposes, a few card transactions is of benefit to them. Makes them look more legit and provides a potential paper trail for some legitimate transactions which might make them look less dodgy overall. Different for tax evasion, granted.




I'm not meaning to veer into racial stereotypes here but that could be for non-money laundering or tax evasion reasons. When I used to work late shifts at the cinema at Ocean Terminal, I'd drive past the old casino in Leith Docks late at night (11/12) and it would be crazy the amount of Asian people getting out of cars with what looked like swag bags, presumably full of cash. Looked like they literally closed up their business for the night, took the takings and were putting it all on 15 black.




Yes - drugs, prostitution, sale of stolen goods, people trafficking, IPTV. The list goes on.

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Chinese people love gambling. Not sure that counts as a stereotype when it factually correct?

Dodgy fire sticks must make up a fair bit of organised crime income these days?


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The most obvious example of a money laundering front I'd encountered personally was when I went to a new barbers when I lived in Bruntsfield. The two women working in there had clearly never cut hair before. The first one made a state of my hair. The second one tried to fix it and made it worse. Clearly it had opened up and they plonked two people in there with no experience of the legitimate business it was claiming to be.

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Originally Posted by Bristolhibby

Imagine if we just legalised weed. Like they do in many European countries including multiple states in America.

Think of the Tax revenue we could pull in. Taking the network away from criminals.

But no.

J

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I was just going to say this,

Legalise it, take it out the hands of the gangsters.

Too simple?

To merge 2 different parts of this thread....I just went for a "haircut" (using quotes, as it's not exactly a long job these days), to find that they'd just done a refit :greengrin

As an aside, I love the way local shops plagiarise the names of big concerns, but just enough to avoid the legal peoiple taking action. Mine is "Barber King". :cb

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

To merge 2 different parts of this thread....I just went for a "haircut" (using quotes, as it's not exactly a long job these days), to find that they'd just done a refit :greengrin

As an aside, I love the way local shops plagiarise the names of big concerns, but just enough to avoid the legal peoiple taking action. Mine is "Barber King". :cb

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My favourite was a convenience store in Newcastle (I think). Was called Singhsbury's. Sainsbury's threatened to sue so they changed to Morrisinghs :greengrin

To be fair, they totally ripped off both the Sainsbury's and Morrisons logos too.

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Originally Posted by overdrive

My favourite was a convenience store in Newcastle (I think). Was called Singhsbury's. Sainsbury's threatened to sue so they changed to Morrisinghs :greengrin

To be fair, they totally ripped off both the Sainsbury's and Morrisons logos too.

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The wee shop beside my barber is called Jasda. :greengrin

Best one has to be the coffee shop in China, Star****s

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

The wee shop beside my barber is called Jasda. :greengrin

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Theres a good one on Porty High St called Turkish Hairways, I loved the one on Whitburn High St too called Curl Up and Dye 🫢

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Originally Posted by babahibs

I was just going to say this,

Legalise it, take it out the hands of the gangsters.

Too simple?

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Not for me. I think most politicians also think that is the way to go but there is a lack of courage.


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Originally Posted by Bristolhibby

Imagine if we just legalised weed. Like they do in many European countries including multiple states in America.

Think of the Tax revenue we could pull in. Taking the network away from criminals.

But no.

J

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And bizarrely enough the UK is one of the biggest exporters of cannabis.

I go to a Kurdish barber in Gorgie and he’s excellent but to be fair I had the option of seven others on Gorgie Road. Feels like every second shop there is a barbers.

On the subject of money laundering there’s been lots of speculation that all the tartan tat shops are really just a front. Loads of stores selling low cost high volume stock, easy to funnel cash through and incredibly difficult to audit you would imagine.

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Originally Posted by Lendo

I go to a Kurdish barber in Gorgie and he’s excellent but to be fair I had the option of seven others on Gorgie Road. Feels like every second shop there is a barbers.

On the subject of money laundering there’s been lots of speculation that all the tartan tat shops are really just a front. Loads of stores selling low cost high volume stock, easy to funnel cash through and incredibly difficult to audit you would imagine.

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Any business that deals in cash is excellent for money laundering. HMRC can’t really dispute your income so long as you keep it reasonable. They don’t have the staff these days to investigate. And there is no real policing of white collar crime in the UK anyway.
Barbers are great because there is not much stock. With sweet shops I guess you have to buy a lot of sticks to keep it semi respectable. Probably end up throwing a lot of it away.


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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

Any business that deals in cash is excellent for money laundering. HMRC can’t really dispute your income so long as you keep it reasonable. They don’t have the staff these days to investigate. And there is no real policing of white collar crime in the UK anyway.
Barbers are great because there is not much stock. With sweet shops I guess you have to buy a lot of sticks to keep it semi respectable. Probably end up throwing a lot of it away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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It's not HMRC's job to investigate money-laundering. They do, though, have a duty to report any suspicions of it to the National Crime Agency, as do solicitors, banks, most accountants, and many other client-led businesses..

As for "no policing", I would disagree. It's very common for ML charges to be tacked on to charges of drug-dealing and other high-value crimes. It's those crimes that they are most interested in, and the ML is often their way in.

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

It's not HMRC's job to investigate money-laundering. They do, though, have a duty to report any suspicions of it to the National Crime Agency, as do solicitors, banks, most accountants, and many other client-led businesses..

As for "no policing", I would disagree. It's very common for ML charges to be tacked on to charges of drug-dealing and other high-value crimes. It's those crimes that they are most interested in, and the ML is often their way in.

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Yes but as far as the investigating goes, it’s usually once they have evidence of the drug dealing that they go after the money laundering? Do they ever investigate suspicious businesses that leads them to drug dealers? If that makes sense?


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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

Yes but as far as the investigating goes, it’s usually once they have evidence of the drug dealing that they go after the money laundering? Do they ever investigate suspicious businesses that leads them to drug dealers? If that makes sense?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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The ML can often lead them to the main crime.

That's where the reporting by all of those people I mentioned can come in useful. The regime was brought in post 9/11, initially to identify terrorist funding, but was quickly extended and adapted to cover all crimes.... and not just ML.

And the Police are not daft (cue the smartarses :greengrin). They will have a fair idea of who the MLs are, but obviously need evidence to tie that back to the main crime.

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Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

Yes but as far as the investigating goes, it’s usually once they have evidence of the drug dealing that they go after the money laundering? Do they ever investigate suspicious businesses that leads them to drug dealers? If that makes sense?


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A cynic might think that as long as the crooks are paying income tax on their ill gotten gains, then the authorities might be tempted to look the other way. :whistle:

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Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg

A cynic might think that as long as the crooks are paying income tax on their ill gotten gains, then the authorities might be tempted to look the other way. :whistle:

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The reality is that, once the crime has been established and prosecuted, all of the proceeds are due to be paid over. It can be a long and costly process, though.

Up until relatively recently, it was the case that tax was due on all criminal activities. And that's all. In theory, once you'd paid tax on your £2.5m train robbery money, you could keep the rest. Mental, but true.

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Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg

A cynic might think that as long as the crooks are paying income tax on their ill gotten gains, then the authorities might be tempted to look the other way. :whistle:

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Probably more tax percentage in Britain paid through drug profit than there is through many huge companies and people who pay their tax in the Bahamas ect ha

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

The reality is that, once the crime has been established and prosecuted, all of the proceeds are due to be paid over. It can be a long and costly process, though.

Up until relatively recently, it was the case that tax was due on all criminal activities. And that's all. In theory, once you'd paid tax on your £2.5m train robbery money, you could keep the rest. Mental, but true.

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That's mental. I guess if the crooks were to hide their swag,then it might be more beneficial to tax them.

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

The wee shop beside my barber is called Jasda. :greengrin

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Ice Cream shop just along the road from me is called 'For Fudge Sakes'

The owner has another in Glasgow's southside called 'What the Fudge'


:greengrin

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Originally Posted by Keith_M

Ice Cream shop just along the road from me is called 'For Fudge Sakes'

The owner has another in Glasgow's southside called 'What the Fudge'


:greengrin

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There is a big ice cream shop on Gorgie road that I have never seen anyone in.


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Why open up in Edinburgh? Even on the fringes of the city it must be relatively expensive and more at risk of being caught than opening up in a small town somewhere? :dunno:

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Originally Posted by Keith_M

Ice Cream shop just along the road from me is called 'For Fudge Sakes'

The owner has another in Glasgow's southside called 'What the Fudge'


:greengrin

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My Brother-in-law lived in Airlie Beach in Queensland. Their local curry house was called….Get it India.

Works particularly well with an Aussie accent.

J

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Originally Posted by danhibees1875

Why open up in Edinburgh? Even on the fringes of the city it must be relatively expensive and more at risk of being caught than opening up in a small town somewhere? :dunno:

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I’d assume the opposite.

Plenty of small scale retail empty across the city thanks to the ‘death of the high street’ and a pretendy large population to service.

Much less conspicuous than setting up in a small town.

Oh and closer to the main source of the ill gotten gains as well!

As for being caught? Hmm hardly. Seems to be openly tolerated while the honest person continues to be forever taxed more as that’s the easy thing to do.

Reminds me a bit of this story where banning the guy for being a director for 9 years seems to be the sum of the punishment for millions going astray…and only ‘caught’ because it was so egregious.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8j94np0193o.amp

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Originally Posted by RyeSloan

I’d assume the opposite.

Plenty of small scale retail empty across the city thanks to the ‘death of the high street’ and a pretendy large population to service.

Much less conspicuous than setting up in a small town.

Oh and closer to the main source of the ill gotten gains as well!

As for being caught? Hmm hardly. Seems to be openly tolerated while the honest person continues to be forever taxed more as that’s the easy thing to do.

Reminds me a bit of this story where banning the guy for being a director for 9 years seems to be the sum of the punishment for millions going astray…and only ‘caught’ because it was so egregious.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8j94np0193o.amp

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That all makes sense. :aok:

It does open up the opportunity to follow ones vocational dreams if you can top up inadequate revenues with dirty money...