Jake King in bed with Toby Mitchell

July 04, 2016, 12:48:24 pm

Jake King deflected the Tigers' attempts at getting him to distance himself from Toby Mitchell by saying they were just lifelong friends. Now, they are partners in a tattoo shop and King will be running it while Mitchell serves 20 months for cocaine and meth offences: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/jake-king-to-run-toby-mitchells-south-melbourne-tattoo-parlour/news-story/5394acbee70ef93655fa38ee04a0d990, Hun.

Yes, King loves tattoos and so does Toby Mitchell. But bikies aren't necessarily besotted with tattoo parlours because they love getting tattoos. Tattoo parlours and carwash businesses are cash businesses which have low material expenses. That makes them perfect for money laundering. Drug money can go into the till and then can be declared to the ATO. It is then legit and can be deposited in a bank. As long as the business buys an appropriate amount of ink and retains enough tattoo artists to match the money going in to the till, the police and the ATO can't catch them out. Even better, henchmen can be hired as tattoo artists and paid a legit wage. It's similar to the scenes in The Sopranos when Tony's crew would sit on folding chairs inside a building site to justify pulling down a wage.

If King were just a tattoo artist, he could well work inside a tattoo parlour without being tainted with that parlour's more dubious activities. But being a partner in one with a bikie who is serving time for drug offences and running it in his absence? Hmmmm. But it has to be said that there is no evidence that King is involved with Mitchell's offending.

Imagine having King and Cousins in the same team. Given the concerns the AFL has about drug traffickers targetting cashed-up young footballers, King's association with Mitchell was clearly problematic even in the absence of any proof of complicity. Didak's ride with Hell's Angel Hudson before he shot 2 people in the city probably hastened Didak's demise but the Tigers took their sweet time before delisting King.

Re: Jake King in bed with Toby Mitchell

Reply #1 – July 04, 2016, 01:08:24 pm

On checking, I realise I was confusing what should have happened to Didak for what actually happened. Which was virtually nothing. The ride with Hudson was in 2007 and he remained on the list until 2013. But Heath Shaw was booted for lying about a car accident ...