The street gangs are all about territorial conflict. But there is one other element that defines them: gambling. ibid.
The vast majority [of gangs] are named after streets. The phenomenon is repeated in cities like Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester, where the gangs known as Scuttlers often have names inspired by real events like the Franco-Prussian war. There’s even a Buffalo Bill gang after the famous frontiersman tours his wild-west show. ibid.
Gang violence is now out of control. They are terrorising the vast majority of law-abiding citizens. ibid.
1921: Britain’s first ever gangland war between two gangs from different cities. Throughout 1921 hundreds of gangsters fight brutal running battles for control over illegal racecourse rackets. Thugs from Birmingham and south London on one side, Italian and Jewish mobs on the other. And at the root of these racecourse wars is a man called Billy Kimber, Britain’s first nationwide gangland kingpin. The Real Peaky Blinders II: The Racecourse Wars
Just like prohibition of alcohol spurred the rise of organised crime and gangsterism in America, prohibition of gambling will have the same effect here. ibid.
The real money to be made in gambling in the 1910s is at the races themselves. These are the only places where respectable punters can legally go to bet. And where large amounts of cash is changing hands, gather the thieves and the rogues. ibid.
The Birmingham gang gets wind very quickly that Darby Sibini’s going to be coming in to support the Jewish bookmakers. ibid.
The so-called Battle of Epsom propounds the racecourse wars into the limelight. ibid.
Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compacts disc-players and electrical tin-openers. Choose god health. Low cholesterol. And dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments ... Choose life. But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin. Trainspotting ***** 1996 starring Ewan McGregor & Ewen Bremner & Robert Carlyle & Kevin McKidd & Kelly MacDonald & Peter Mullan & Keith Allen & James Cosmo et al, director Danny Boyle
People think it’s all about misery and desperation and death and all that shite, which is not to be ignored. But what they forget is the pleasure of it. Otherwise we wouldn’t do it. After all, we’re not fucking stupid. At least, were not that fucking stupid. Take the best orgasm you ever had, multiply it by a thousand and you’re still nowhere near it. When you’re on junk you have only one worry: scoring. When you’re off it you are suddenly obliged to worry about all sorts of other shite. Got no money: can’t get pissed. Got money: drinking too much. Can’t get a bird: no chance of a ride. Got a bird: too much hassle. You have to worry about bills, about food, about some football team that never fucking wins, about human relationships and all the things that really don’t matter when you’ve got a sincere and truthful junk habit. ibid.
And one bottle of Valium which I have already procured from my mother who is, in her own domestic and socially acceptable way, also a drug addict. ibid.
The heroin makes you constipated. ibid.
The worst toilet in Scotland. ibid.
[explaining the gaps in his employment history] Yes, I can. The truth – well, the truth is that I’ve had a long-standing problem with heroin addiction. I’ve been known to sniff it, smoke it, swallow it, stick it up my arse and inject it into my veins. I’ve been trying to combat this addiction, but unless you count social security scams and shoplifting, I haven’t had a regular job in years. I feel it’s important to mention this. ibid.
The downside of coming off junk was I knew I would need to mix with my friends again in a state of full consciousness. It was awful. They reminded me so much of myself, I could hardly bear to look at them. Take Sick Boy, for instance. He came off junk at the same time as me – not because he wanted to, you understand, but just to annoy me. Just to show me how easily he could do it, thereby downgrading my own struggle. Sneaky fucker, don’t you think? ibid.
At or around the time Spud, Sickboy and I made a healthy, informed, democratic decision to get back on heroin as soon as possible. It took about twelve hours. ibid.
The streets are awash with drugs you can have for unhappiness and pain. And we took them all. ibid.
The good times couldn’t last for ever. ibid.
To take the pain away. So I cooked up. And she got a hit. ibid.
I don’t feel the sickness yet, but it’s in the post, that’s for sure. I’m in the junky limbo at the moment. Too ill to sleep, too tired to stay awake. But the sickness is on its way. Sweat, chills, nausea, pain and craving. ibid.
I need one more fucking hit! ibid.
It seems, however, that I really am the luckiest guy in the world. Several years of addiction right in the middle of an epidemic, surrounded by the living dead. But not me. I’m negative. It’s official. And once the pain goes away that’s when the real battle starts. Depression. Boredom. You feel so low you want to top yourself. ibid.
I quite enjoyed the sound of it all: profit, loss, margins, takeovers, lettings, lendings, lettings, sub-letting. Cheating. Scamming. There was no such thing as society. ibid.
This was to be my final hit. But let’s be clear about this. There are final hits and there are final hits. What kind was this to be? ibid.
The truth is that I’m a bad person. But that’s going to change. I’m going to change. This is the last of that sort of thing. I’m cleaning up and moving on, going straight and choosing Life. I’m looking forward to it already. I’m going to be just like you. ibid.
We don’t mind getting our hands dirty. We just don’t want ’em cut off. I mean, we know our limits. Lock, Stock … And Four Stolen Hooves, commentary, Channel 4 2000
Miami Vice: Number One face in this manor. Word is, he’s responsible for half the country’s porn imports. ibid.
What the fuck is going on? It’s like Beirut out there. Lock, Stock … And 200 Smoking Kalashnikovs, Miami Vice
Got him [Three Feet] in Christmas ’88. Used to work for Greasy John … What does he get for all that loyalty? A bullet in the pancreas from Eddie the fucking diamond. ibid.
I can’t start a war with that little firm, can I? They’ve got half an army backing them up. Lock, Stock … And a Fistful of Jack n Jills, Terry Harmless
D’you member that casino I was telling you about? Fell down. ibid. Harmless to boys
Do you know why they call them shotgun weddings? Cos they can go off at any time. Lock, Stock … And Spaghetti Sauce
That’s the third accountant in a month. Who would have thought arithmetic could be so dangerous. Lock, Stock … And Two Sips, Miami Vice
Then there was Terry Gardner. Now rumour had it that Terry was more than Miami’s enforcer. Word was he had his eye on the throne. ibid. commentary
You all think you’re Al Pacino. I can’t think of a single job when you haven’t killed someone. Lock, Stock … And One Big Bullock, Miami Vice to gangstas
Seems like he was one step ahead of you, Miami. Just like he always was. And I’m gonna keep good hold of this key. Till I find out exactly what it’s worth. Lock Stock … And a Good Slopping Out, Toothless
In scenes that seem to come straight out of a film script – the dozen de Beers diamonds at the Dome in London. Inside the Heist s1e1: The Millennium Diamonds, Quest 2022
The Millennium Star is the diamond of all diamonds. A once in a lifetime discovery – 777 carats. ibid.
The Millennium Dome is the most ambitious plan the country has seen for years … De Beers, the world’s most famous diamond merchants, are called in to add sparkle. ibid.
‘The Flying Squad observed the gang carrying out reconnaissance of the Millennium dome at really random times.’ ibid.
Is my father going to die, Ahmed? The Gentlemen I: Refined Aggression, Eddie, Netflix 2024
Maybe we should [Freddy] topple him together. ibid. Charlotte to Eddie
I’m the eldest fucking son … It’s the will of God … It’s prima genital, that’s what it is … ibid. Freddy
Eddie: You owe a Scouse cocaine dealer £4 million? ibid.
Freddy: No, I owe a Scouse crime family £8 million? ibid.
He [father] was making £5 million a year. ibid. Susie
Although they appear to be housetrained, don’t be fooled by the facade. ibid.
Come on, Freddy. It’s just a song. Let’s get it done. ibid. Eddie
I want you to be a chicken. I want you to feel it. I want you to transform into a chicken. ibid. Tommy to Freddy
Stop fucking running, Jethro! The Gentlemen II: Tackle Tommy Woo Woo, Eddie
Let ’em come, Eddie. Let ’em fucking come. ibid. Freddy
Yes, Freddy, it is different. Because now you are a murderer. ibid. Eddie
I didn’t know they were an international crime family with Jesus head of the show. ibid. Jethro
Bruv, I get all sorts – grass snakes, stoats, one time I had a robin redbreast flew in … ibid. Mellow guard down in the den
Once you start the killing, you have to finish the killing. ibid. her to him