70 families contact police after funeral directors allegedly gave them wrong ashes and kept the real ones

Police in Scotland have received reports from more than 70 people as part of an ongoing investigation into a former funeral directors accused of mishandling cremated remains and fraud. Operation Koine was launched in April 2024 following reports about the practices of A Milne Independent Funeral Directors, which operated in the Glasgow and Dumbarton areas.

The investigation looks into claims that families were given wrong ashes while the funeral directors kept the real ones. Detective Superintendent Robert Bowie called it “an unprecedented investigation for Police Scotland and one of the largest ongoing financial inquiries.” Three people, two women aged 37 and 55 and a 56-year-old man, were arrested in connection with the case and released while the investigation continues.

One of those affected is Jackie Barnes from Dumbarton, who scattered what she believed were her mother’s ashes alongside her father’s in January 2024. But months later police told her that her mother’s actual ashes were found during a search at the company’s Springburn branch. According to BBC, Barnes now has worries about her husband Danny’s ashes too, telling reporters she would look at the urn every night asking “Are you my husband?” She eventually scattered the ashes with her son’s remains, though she cannot be sure they were Danny’s since DNA testing is not possible with cremated remains.

Police recovered 18 lots of ashes during investigation

Police said they recovered 18 lots of ashes during their investigation, with five still not identified. Most cremated remains found at former A Milne premises have been returned to families or dealt with according to their wishes. Detective Superintendent Bowie said officers are working through “hundreds of lines of inquiry” to identify the remaining ashes.

The investigation has shown that most complaints relate to alleged fraudulent prepaid funeral plans. Some families paid over $3,800 for funeral plans but received nothing when the company stopped operating. Similar cases have happened elsewhere, including a Colorado funeral home where 31 gruesome discoveries were made involving cremated ashes and a decomposing body. The company was dissolved in November 2024 and operated without the rules that will soon be required in Scotland.

From March 2025, all funeral directors in Scotland must follow the Funeral Director Code of Practice, which sets minimum standards for care of the deceased and requires proper record keeping for ashes. The new rules aim to stop similar incidents from happening again by requiring funeral directors to get licenses and undergo regular inspections.

Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said finding out a loved one may not have been cared for properly is “extremely upsetting and shocking.” The organization is working with Police Scotland to provide support for affected families. For those interested in learning more about how true crime cases unfold and are investigated, similar stories have shown the importance of thorough police work and community support. 

Anyone with concerns about the handling of cremated remains or prepaid funeral plans can contact police at 101 or email [email protected]. Victim Support Scotland’s helpline is available at 0800 160 1985.