Since the early eighties professional British criminals have been smuggling cannabis from Morocco to the Costa del Sol. The Underworld: Drugs, BBC 1994
During the last forty years the cannabis trade has grown beyond all recognition. ibid.
[Howard] Marks too was a user who graduating into dealing. ibid.
Krishnamma remained oblivious to an investigation by both police and customs ... Kris Krishnamma got a ten-year sentence. At the time it was the longest in Britain for a cannabis conviction. His case exposed a new trend. ibid.
For Radcliffe smuggling was a romantic experience. ibid.
Still on the run he [Howard Marks] had become a compulsive smuggler. ibid.
At the dawn of the eighties vast profits were at stake. ibid.
In May 1980 Howard Marks was arrested. ibid.
Ten of the fifteen tons that Marks had imported were recovered. ibid.
As the cannabis trade flourished the age of the gentleman smuggler came to an end. ibid.
[Frankie] Fraser has spent forty years, the equivalent of his girlfriend’s lifetime, in prison. The Underworld: Robbery
The robbery that made British criminal history: it wasn’t just the amount that stung the public, the Queen’s train had been attacked carrying the Royal Mail from Glasgow to London. ibid.
In the sixties when workers took their wages home in cash there was no softer target than the payroll. ibid.
In 1962 nine months before the Great Train Robbery violence was used in a raid on the offices of BOAC at London Airport. ibid.
Security firms sold themselves on their ability to cope with brutal attacks. But for the guards it as an horrific experience. ibid.
Banks were next on the list. ibid.
There was friction whenever these freelance operators teamed up. ibid.
The gang went on to steal £238,000 from Barclays in Ilford in February 1970. It was the largest bank robbery in Britain. ibid.
By the summer of 1972 there was an armed robbery in London every five days. ibid.
On 10th August it took a gang just ninety seconds to seize £138,000 from Barclay’s Bank in Wembley. ibid.
Scotland Yard formed the robbery squad. ibid.
Bertie Smalls became the first supergrass ... Don Barrett ... The only man to go supergrass twice. ibid.
During a two-year reign of terror across the UK a gang of ruthless robbers targeted security depots and cash-in-transit vans. Their method was elaborate and unique creating devastation in their wake. But each time they struck they left vital clues. Britain’s Biggest Heists II: The Battering Ram Gang, CI 2011
In less than two minutes the gang had ransacked the place and fled with a major amount of cash. ibid.
Terrorising other parts of the UK: Liverpool, Bolton, Radcliffe, Salford & Dartford. ibid.
Two years and six violent attacks on four of the gang were found guilty of their crimes ... Now the mission was to find the rest of the missing gang. ibid.
Homes and businesses were burnt to the ground. Britain went into lockdown ... The finger was pointed at teenage gangs. Reggie Yates: Teen Gangs, BBC 2011
However much you want to change, things from the world outside can come and trip you up. ibid.
Gang wars here have reached as far as cyberspace. ibid.
They tell you not to panic. They tell you to stay calm. Not resist. Not put up a fight. Don’t engage them in conversation. Don’t speak unless spoken to. Be compliant and you will live to see another day. Inside Men starring Steven MacIntosh (as John) & Ashley Walters (as Chris) & Warren Brown (as Marcus) & Kierston Wareing (as Gina) & Paul Popplewell (as Tom) & Nicola Walker (as Kirsty) et al, director James Kent, BBC 2012
Not even criminals want cash nowadays – online that’s where it’s at. ibid. John
No-one nicks that much cash any more. ibid. Marcus
What we want to do is make small regular withdrawals. ibid. Marcus
If you’re going to cross that line it has to be worth it. ibid. John
What if we took the lot? ibid. John
How much do you remember? How much do you retain? This is when the real work begins. This is when you have to be strong. This is when they think they know you. But they don’t. They can’t. Inside Men II
It’s thought an extremely large sum of money was taken. ibid. radio news
So far we have three men on the inside and no-one on the outside. ibid. John
Whatever scheme you’re running is doomed to fail, so no thank you. ibid. friend of Marcus
On a good night up to a hundred and fifty million. ibid. Marcus
How much did we get? ibid. Chris in hospital bed
The spending part – keeps me awake at night. Inside Men III, Marcus
I want out. ibid. Chris
The £172 million still missing. ibid. television news
I want to report a crime. This one hasn’t happened yet. ibid. Chris
Everything you’re standing on we split down the middle. Inside Men IV
Give me the code. ibid. gangsta
Why don’t you [child] show me all round your house? ibid. Gina
Your fellow’s got enough to explain. ibid.
Rescue me just one more time. ibid. him to her
My husband’s not a hero. ibid. wife of depot boss
Go ahead. Get it done. ibid. depot boss to black bloke
I just knew I couldn’t go back to being him. ibid.
Nothing in this world is ever going to frighten me again. ibid.
Gangs are warring over respect and territory fuelled by insults and abuse on social media. Inside the Gang II: Street Wars, Channel 5 2017
Drugs underpin and drive gang culture. ibid.
Girls are increasingly being sucked into gang life, exposed to exploitation, drugs and violence. Inside the Gang III: Girl Gangsters
‘I don’t give a fuck how heavy, what weapon it is, I’m using it and I’m going to fuck you up. Straight up.’ ibid.
***** This is England ’86 & ’88 & ’90 starring Thomas Turgoose & Vicky McClure & Joe Gilgun & Andrew Shin & Stephen Graham & Johnny Harris & Rosamund Hanson & Chanel Cresswell & Danielle Watson & Andrew Ellis et al
When I finished This Is England, I had a wealth of material and unused ideas that I felt very keen to take further – audiences seemed to really respond to the characters we created and out of my longstanding relationship with Film4 and Channel 4 the idea for a television serial developed. Not only did I want to take the story of the gang broader and deeper, I also saw in the experiences of the young in 1986 many resonances to now – recession, lack of jobs, sense of the world at a turning point. Whereas the film told part of the story, the TV series will tell the rest. Shane Meadows, director
With only a few days to go before the World Cup the England players have been warming up … This is England 86 I II III IV ***** Channel 4 2010, radio
That’s £22 wedding and reception. You can’t get better than that now. (Gangs: UK & Wedding) ibid. Woody
For the record, you’ve started turning into your dad since you got that promotion. ibid. Lol to Woody
I know it’s horrible now. You’ve got to look past all this. ibid. Woody to Lol over the threshold
Are you going to come in and finish me off? ibid. Trudy to Gary
Just appreciate that your mum wants to have sex with Mr Sandhu. ibid. Smell to Shaun