Anti-mafia team to target gangsters running business through taxi companies and other firms POLICE want “anti-mafia” agents to control licenses for taxis, nurseries and security firms to stop criminal gangs running legitimate businesses.
It would mean powers being transferred from councils to specialist teams.
The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency are examining how countries such as Italy and Holland stop gangsters gaining a foothold in lucrative industries.
Up to £9billion of public money is spent on buying everything from pencils to hospitals in Scotland every year.
Gaining a foothold in that business allows crooks to both clean and conceal their dirty cash.
In recent years, criminals have diversified from pubs and security firms to tanning parlours, nail bars, care homes and nurseries.
SCDEA director general Gordon Meldrum said: “If criminals can get their hands on a public sector contract, it will provide them with a regular monthly income.
“It stabilises an otherwise chaotic business operating model. It gives them the confidence to fund the next drugs, firearms or human trafficking operation.
“That’s why it is so important for us to work with central and local government and the private sector to make sure they don’t get any big Scottish contracts.”
Detective Chief Inspector Ronnie Megaughin, the SCDEA’s head of interventions, said it was difficult to accept how some companies with links to crime were granted licences by local authorities.
Lessons could be learned from some of our European neighbours.
Mr Megaughin said: “Italy is subject to the same procurement rules as the UK but they have domestic law which allows them in certain sectors to compel people to obtain anti-Mafia certification.
“We are looking at the potential for that here. In Italy, the director and others need to swear an oath to say they are not subject to any anti-Mafia measures, including police investigations.
“They have to satisfy a government official of their integrity. In Holland, rather than have local authorities making decisions on licensing, vetted civil servants do it.”
Global anti-corruption body Transparency International say the UK has a very low level of corruption.
But Mr Megaughin added: “Organised crime has been with us for centuries. It has changed and adapted to maximise profits.
“We need to change, too.”
He claimed the Security Industry Authority had been successful in cracking down on the industry. He added: “It has had a long-standing issue around intimidation.
“What we are trying to do is divorce the decision from where security will be provided.
“A supermarket will obviously have a board to make decisions. What we want is a decision by them that they will only use accredited security.
“We also need to have a healthy debate about whether police intelligence should play a bigger part within these decisions.”
Labour MSP and former SCDEA director general Graeme Pearson welcomed the plans.
He said: “It is worth examining to find out how we better protect the entire public licensing system.
“Quite obviously, organised crime have managed, through what they call clean skins, to protect themselves from law enforcement.
“It is always going to be very difficult for some people in public life to deal with these groups.
“If you are fairly low down the pecking order and you are trying to administer licensing, it can be very difficult.”
Pearson said people in every community knew organised crime figures who seemed to be above the law.
He added: “They are still making money and I wouldn’t imagine they would be affected too much by the economic downturn.”
How criminals move into business
TAXI FIRMS
RUSSELL STIRTON
In January, two crooked businessmen were ordered to hand over almost £1million after losing the longest dirty money court case in Scottish legal history.
The judge branded Russell Stirton, 51, and Alexander Anderson, 54, ruthless criminals who were guilty of drug dealing, gun running and extortion. Money was laundered through Stirton’s petrol station in Springburn, Glasgow.
NETWORK PRIVATE HIRE
A £2MILLION NHS taxi contract to take patients to hospital in Glasgow was awarded to Network Private Hire despite police fears over their alleged criminal links.
STEVIE MALCOLM
A SUPER-RICH businessman linked to crime bosses is in the running for a big airport taxi contract.
Stevie Malcolm, 48, dubbed the Fat Controller, is a director of Paisley Cab Company and ex-wife Julie Malcolm ran Barrhead’s Compass Cabs.
NURSERIES
POLICE raided the Rainforest Adventure Centre and Nursery in Motherwell two years ago in a money laundering probe.
SCDEA officers also swooped on the former home of Lindsay Nixon, boss of the nursery.
SECURITY FIRMS
SECURITY boss Bobby “The Devil” Dempster was accused of being a crime boss and had his licence suspended by the Security Industry Authority.
But they were forced into a climbdown when a sheriff blasted the lack of evidence against Dempster, 63.
His firm won a contract worth £162,000 to guard a rail link between Airdrie and Bathgate.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... -23900846/
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