A BAN on the sale of properties housing two well known lapdancing clubs has been made as part of an investigation into proceeds of crime.
Prosecutors have secured court orders preventing the sale of the buildings containing Glasgow's Diamond Dolls and Edinburgh's Baby Dolls in a civil proceeds of crime action against adult entertainment tycoon Steve MacDonald.
The Crown Office's Civil Recovery Unit (CRU) confirmed it was pursuing Mr MacDonald, who fronts the body that lobbies for most of the country's strip clubs, because it believes his assets are the product of illegal activity.
A Crown spokesman said: "The CRU has ongoing civil recovery proceedings against Steven MacDonald. It obtained Prohibitory Property Orders from the Court of Session in May and October 2014, which have frozen assets belonging to Mr MacDonald."
Both clubs - along with nightspot Club Earth in Livingston and Mr MacDonald's home - were raided by police, security industry and immigration officials in June. The tycoon, who is currently lobbying against a new licensing regime through his Association of Licensed Adult Entertainment Venues - believes he is the victim of a vendetta.
The 50-year-old, who has promoted lapdancing clubs since 1998, said: "I believe there is an agenda orchestrated by elements of the Scottish Government to smear our industry.
"There is a desperation to find wrongdoing of any nature that would conveniently support the current Scottish bill on licensing that I think is both poorly thought-out and lacking credibility.
"Regarding the proceeds of crime, the allegations against me are without foundation. There are no criminal charges to support these actions and I have every confidence in the legal team I have got to deal with the matter as swiftly as possible.."
The merits of the case will be judged on the balance of probabilities, the civil burden of proof, rather than the criminal proof of beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr MacDonald is the company secretary of Kaagabot Ltd, which owns the buildings. "There is an inhibition to selling the buildings if we chose to do that," he said. "But we have never had any intention of doing so. This doesn't affect our business in the slightest other than having such a thing hanging over your head when you need to deal with normal business."
The prohibitory property orders relate to the premises of Diamond Dolls, in Mitchell Street, Glasgow; Baby Dolls in Lauriston Street, Edinburgh, and Club Earth, in Livingston, The Herald understands.
Mr MacDonald has also been issued with Disclosure Orders that compel him to reveal financial details.
The tycoon argues raids on Diamond Dolls, Baby Dolls and other businesses associated with him are also part of a bid to smear him.
Asked about the police action, he said: "There have to be questions raised about that; there was an army raised, an army. I am just lost for words. Who authorised it at that scale? I don't believe they send out officers on that level on an anti-terrorist operation and yet this was done to our businesses and my home. I will be in my grave before I let this go away."
Following the June raids, a police spokeswoman said a 30-year-old was arrested in connection with possessing an offensive weapon and a 30-year-old woman was reported to the procurator fiscal for drug offences.
Mr MacDonald said he no longer manages the lapdancing venues, but promotes them.
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