We all remember hoaxers Dene Hine and Deiniol ‘Dan’ Davies crowing about the commissioned job they took during 2023. Helped by lackey Frank Smithland, the pair created an approximation of the logo of A Style Barbers, a business based on the Manchester Road in Swindon. It seems that Hine and Davies, in their eagerness to bring home the cash and get some publicity for themselves, they perhaps coupled their carriage to the wrong train.

On 28 January 2025, the BBC reported:

Two people have been arrested after drugs with a street value of around £150,000 were seized by police.

Wiltshire Police said officers found the class A and class B drugs after warrants were carried out at a business premises on Manchester Road, Swindon, and a residential property in Cherry Orchard, Highworth on Wednesday.

The force said large amounts of cash, high value jewellery and clothing [were] also found and the two were arrested in relation to money laundering and drug supply.

Sgt Winter said “a significant amount of drugs” have been taken off the streets as a result.

The razor. Frank Smithland will never let you forget he was involved. Photograph by Nick Bull

On 20 February, the BBC revealed that the business was none other than A Style Barbers. According to this article, ‘Large amounts of cash, high-value jewellery and clothing were found, along with a significant quantity of class A and class B drugs, police said.’

A Style Barbers has been the subject of a three month closure order ‘due to links with organised criminality’.

So, whilst nobody has yet been found guilty of anything, some self-reflection is needed at the bare minimum from our friends in Somerset and Dorset. If nothing else, realise that anyone who thinks of themselves as a circle maker should not be jumping at the first job sent their way. After all, this certainly isn’t the only occasion Hine has got himself on board with a project that is questionable in one way or another. We recently covered how Hine was unable resist the opportunity to get himself on Chinese television. And whilst there is no suspicion of criminality hanging over the television production company, you have to ask why others turned down the role that Hine would subsequently accept.

Sometimes you can’t tell if someone is trolling or they really are that dumb. Or do they have the intelligence to do something that involves considered thought … like trolling? 

Step forward Deiniol ‘Dan’ Davies’ bruv Gareth to defend Team Two Watt in (Unofficial) Crop Circles UK:

Foreigners [note: at least one of the pair arrested are British citizens] with barbers being used as a front to launder dirty drug money … Happens on every high street in the country. Just so happens they commissioned a circle before they got busted.

Gareth, a defence of ‘everyone is doing it, so there’s no problem’ is no defence at all. The then owner of the business (who has now resigned … give it time and you know what will happen) had £150k of drugs spread across two properties. You do see the inherent problem here? If all barbers are apparently using their businesses as a front for criminality, then surely you don’t take the job they’re offering you in the first place?

Of course, Dene Hine had to reply, saying of those arrested:

They were nice local people and gave back to the community. Dirty or not. They are iconic. Class A.

Oh come on Dene, we don’t even think you believe this. Being caught in possession of £150,000 of drugs is not ‘giving back to the community’. We certainly don’t imagine they will be for personal use. Iconic? Maybe on Manchester Road for having a shop front plastered with closure notices by the local constabulary? Still, good to see that you are publicly supporting the trade in Class A drugs.