Widow of Tam 'The Licensee' McGraw exposed as drug dealer

Jun 1 2008 Exclusive by Derek Alexander

THE widow of gangster Tam "The Licensee" McGraw is today exposed dealing cocaine with the man she is set to marry.

We can reveal Margaret McGraw and her sleazy escort agency boss fiance Jim McMinimee peddle the Class A drug door-to-door from their s25,000 silver Mitsubishi Shogun.

McGraw, 55, - nicknamed the Jeweller - and McMinimee, 49, flog the deadly white powder at addresses in Glasgow as if they were delivering pizzas.

Our investigator bought one-eighth of an ounce of the drug from the pair last week for s100.

McGraw took control of a multi-million pound fortune when her crime boss husband died of a heart attack last year.

The Licensee left her money and assets worth more than s10million, amassed from a lifetime of high-level drug dealing, violence and intimidation.

But despite her wealth McGraw and new love McMinimee - who has moved into the fortified home she shared with her gangster husband - risk prison by selling cocaine.

One source said: "McGraw spent half his life avoiding being caught dealing drugs.

"He's been gone less than a year and Margaret and Jim are running around dealing in cocaine all over the city.

"The whole thing is incredible - especially when you consider the amount of money he left her.

"McGraw never got anywhere close to the drugs. He'd be appalled at this. It's absolute amateur hour."

The Licensee died from a heart attack at his home in Mount Vernon, Glasgow, last July.

He and Margaret had been married for 36 years.

She was with him when he was the leader of the infamous Barlanark Team - a gang of safe crackers who targeted shops and post offices.

She also ran an ice cream van for her husband during Glasgow's Ice Cream Wars in the 1980s and helped run the Caravel pub, which became a crime HQ in the 90s.

McGraw - who got her Jeweller nickname because of the amount of gold she wears - announced she would wed McMinimee earlier this year.

The pair posed for photographers as she showed off a diamond engagement ring.

McMinimee is the boss of three escort agencies - Naughties, Angels and Dirty Devils - and was a friend of The Licensee for almost 30 years.

His wife Deborah committed suicide 10 years ago.

Our reporter phoned McMinimee on Thursday after receiving information that he and McGraw sold cocaine together.

We contacted him at 8.20pm and asked him to deliver an eighth of an ounce of the drug to an address in the Shawlands area of Glasgow. He said: "I'm in East Kilbride at the moment and about 45 minutes away. I'll give you a phone when I get there."

He phoned at 9.10pm and asked our reporter to come to his motor.

McMinimee was driving the silver Shogun with McGraw in the passenger seat.

On meeting McMinimee and McGraw our reporter said: "I hope you don't mind me phoning you but I was told it would be fine."

McMinimee, whose dad is a retired Strathclyde police inspector, replied: "It's OK, no problem."

He then passed out a small plastic bag containing white powder.

Our reporter then handed over s100 in cash to McMinimee.

The reporter then said: "I don't mean to be cheeky but is this stuff good?

"There's a few of us who'll be taking it and some are in the darts team." This is street slang for users who inject the drug.

McGraw then told our reporter: "Aye it's fine for that."

Our man then walked away from the vehicle while the drug-dealing duo sat for a few seconds.

McMinimee then drove away in the four-wheel drive which he parks in McGraw's driveway each night.

Earlier this year, McMinimee was quoted in a newspaper interview as saying: "Gossips are saying I'm on drugs, run brothels and saunas and even rape men who don't pay me money they owe.

"But Margaret has known me for nearly 30 years. If she even had the slightest suspicion I used drugs she wouldn't let me in her home."

Our source said: "People have been laughing at McGraw and McMinimee.

"They've been portraying themselves as the perfect couple and butter wouldn't melt in their mouth.

"But the two of them are driving round and selling cocaine to anyone who phones.

"The only time McGraw isn't with McMinimee is when he's out delivering in the early hours of the morning.

"You can call McMinimee and he'll drop cocaine off at your house at all hours. It's not unusual for him to come to see you at 5am."

Last year McGraw claimed she was a fortune-teller who could read tarot cards and predict the future.

Amazingly, she claimed she predicted The Licensee's death - but kept it secret for four months.

She said: "When I did the reading he was fit and healthy. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him - but I knew it was going to happen.

"I did other sessions with the cards but could tell from the way they were running nothing had changed."

McGraw also said The Licensee didn't take her advice to halt a Spanish drug-running racket in 1997.

She warned him to stop the scam, which earned his gang around s50million by smuggling hash in false floors on buses.

He ignored her and ended up being held in jail on remand for seven months before being cleared.

We can only assume that after today's shocking revelations the Sunday Mail isn't on McGraw's psychic radar - because she certainly didn't see us coming.

'McGraw never got close to the drugs.. he'd be appalled at this absolute amateur hour'

GANGLAND SOURCE

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d.alexander@sundaymail.co.uk