Police receive more than 70 complaints in missing ashes probe

Police Scotland said more than 70 people have contacted authorities about the handling of cremated remains linked to the former A Milne Independent Funeral Directors, as investigators press on with Operation Koine. The inquiry, launched in April last year, centers on alleged mishandling of cremated remains and allegations of fraud tied to the Glasgow- and Dumbarton-area firm.

Detectives said they are working through hundreds of lines of inquiry. Authorities have recovered 18 lots of ashes, with five still unidentified, and two women aged 37 and 55, and a 56-year-old man were arrested in connection with the inquiry and released pending further investigations. Police said that, while the investigation has touched many families, the vast majority of complaints relate to alleged fraudulent prepaid funeral plans.

Specialist officers, including personnel from the Financial Investigations Unit, are involved in the probe as investigators sift through financial records and other lines of inquiry. Police said the work is ongoing and that they are committed to pursuing every report of concern about the former funeral directors, including cases where families were given ashes that may not belong to those who died.

Jackie Barnes, 58, from Dumbarton, is among those affected. She was told her mother’s ashes were found during a police search at the company’s Springburn branch after she had scattered what she believed were her mother’s remains alongside her father’s in January 2024. Barnes said she subsequently worried about whether the urn contained her husband’s ashes as well, and she described the emotional impact of the experience, saying, “I just want to put them to rest. It’s been a lot.”

Her husband, Danny, died in December 2020, the year before her mother. Barnes said she had to confront the possibility that a different family might be left with the remains of not someone they knew. “They can't do DNA with ashes, so I just have to put it out of my head,” she said. “But it’s hard, thinking is it him? Is it not him? They’ve got to apologise to everyone they’ve hurt.”

Liz Ruine, 72, who paid more than £3,100 into a prepaid funeral plan with the firm, said she received nothing back when the business closed. She told BBC Scotland that she has since endured seven months of counselling and had to rely on a close friend for support. Ruine said the revelations have been harrowing and that many families may be unaware their parents had taken out plans they never received.

“When the stuff about the ashes came out it just became unbelievable,” Ruine said. “It’s devastating for everybody.” She added that families may not realize their elderly relatives had taken out funeral plans and warned of the emotional toll when they learn of possible fraud.

Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said finding out that a loved one may not have been cared for as intended is highly distressing, especially when fraud could be involved in funeral plans. She said Victim Support Scotland has been monitoring developments and remains committed to ensuring victims have access to available support services. The organization is coordinating with Police Scotland on a potential package of support for those affected. Its helpline is 0800 160 1985, with a webchat option also available.

Police urged anyone with information or concerns about the handling of cremated remains or prepaid funeral plans to come forward. Information can be submitted through Police Scotland’s Operation Koine online portal at www.operationkoinescotland.police.uk. Det Supt Robert Bowie, who leads the inquiry, described the investigation as unprecedented for Police Scotland and one of the largest ongoing financial inquiries. He said a dedicated team is working through hundreds of lines of inquiry, and that, while the work may not be visibly dramatic, authorities are committed to a full investigation. He added that the investigation would continue until families’ concerns are resolved and any unclaimed or unidentified remains are accounted for.

This case, which centers on a single funeral director but implicates prepaid plans and the broader handling of cremated remains, remains one of the most extensive probes of its kind in the United Kingdom. Police expect the inquiry to extend as new information comes to light and more families come forward with concerns. The investigation underscores the vulnerability families face at a vulnerable time and highlights the importance of robust oversight in the funeral services sector.