Face of Nation : Lakeside Tattoo Parlour in Belconnen in Canberra’s north announced on Facebook earlier this month that it had “temporarily” closed its doors. Police today revealed the business was closed under criminal assets legislation.
Under the laws, ACT authorities can restrain and then seize property suspected to be the proceeds of crime. Then, once any criminal matters are dealt with in court, a forfeited business and any assets are sold, with the proceeds going to the ACT Government.
Police seized the business after they arrested alleged Comanchero Canberra chapter “road captain” Jirawat Marrotnok McCallum, 31, on money laundering charges. Courts documents alleged Mr McCallum paid $30,000 to the tattoo parlour in March last year, despite having had declared an income of $15,000 in 2017 and 2018.
The documents said Mr McCallum was not an employee or tattoo artist, but had received $700 per week from the parlour since August last year. Mr McCallum is due to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Detective Superintendent Scott Moller said ACT Policing took control of the business earlier this month and changed the locks. “There’s been a lot of cash moved, I don’t have the figures in front of me,” he said. “We believe they were from various organised criminal activities, but mainly the supply of drugs.”
Superintendent Moller said many of the staff at the business were contractors. “It’s certainly unfortunate for the business, but we’re not going to sit here and watch a criminal gang launder cash through a business in Canberra,” he said.
Within hours of the police announcement Lakeside Tattoo Parlour’s Facebook page had been rebranded as Canberra Tattoo Studio. In a post Canberra Tattoo Studio announced the closure of Lakeside and announced it was “in the process of reopening a new business unaffiliated with those involved [with Lakeside’s alleged wrongdoing]”. It thanked their “loyal customers” for their “love and support during this difficult time”.
