Am I right to be suspicious!? Something not right going on

[coffeewithmilk]

I'm renting an apartment with my husband. Our sitting room window overlooks a tanning salon which is also an Internet cafe.
I have become almost obsessed with seeing who is going in and out - I feel something dodgey is going on in there! Constant older men with flashy cars parking outside, young lads in tracksuits going in and out - none of them coming out more tanned than when they went in.
It has been nice over lockdown because there hasn't been anyone around - but now it's open again and it is manic busy

Surely that many people aren't using tanning beds?!

I also noticed that after closing in the evenings, they sometimes leave some of their tanning beds running (I can see the lights through the window)

If it is the dealings of something not right, like drugs or sex work - should I tell someone about it?

My husband thinks I'm over reacting and thinks I should just turn a blind eye as we are only renting and won't be here for too much longer

What would you do?

What do you think is happening there?

The tan isn't instant, you know. It takes time to develop.

Canabis farm!

If it's drugs or sex work then they wouldn't have shut down during lockdown. It sounds to me like you're just stereotyping. Lots of men get tanned and sunbeds don't tan you immediately - it takes time afterwards to build up. Men get judged at a lot of salons so it would make sense I suppose if all the men went to one together. Also, from a stereotypical standpoint, young men or flashy men are more likely to go on a sunbed.

Have you watched Talking Heads?

I think either drugs or sex work.. I know the tan isn't instant, but it just gives me a very bad vibe with the people that are going in. It looks suspicious

If you are concerned there are trafficking victims there you should contact the police.

I think they are giving their cannabis plants a nice tan or maybe it's a table tennis tournament, since it's one of a few sports you can still keep 2m apart.

To be more serious, perhaps they are just doing the place up or having work done, which is why you are seeing different people going in or out?

What country are you in as tanning salons are not allowed to open yet in the uk

@WhySoSexist I in no way meant to stereotype anyone by my post at all. I suppose it is just very hard to emphasise how suspicious it looks, as the people coming and going are standing and parking outside our apartment. I always trust my gut and it just tells me something is off with this particular place

Money laundering. Either close your blinds and forget about it or phone police.

Mind your own business.

But you said it’s an Internet cafe too; they’re going in to use the internet or cafe?

You say you didn't mean to stereotype but your suspicion is ENTIRELY based on men going in instead of women. Men get tans too and probably go to a more manly salon.
All of your other points make no sense:

• Tan isn't instant so them not being tanned when they come out means nothing
• Criminals didn't stop committing crime due to lockdown so they wouldn't have stopped if it were illegal.
• Tanning beds often have lights that are permanently on, that's very common.

If you're that certain it's not an actual tanning salon then why don't you go in and try to book a tan?

I used to work in a tanning shop years ago and the sun beds have lights that stay on constantly. Not the actual tanning bulbs but the rest of the bed lights up.
As for the men, sounds like the sort of people who used to come in to the shop I worked in. Lots of men. And as a PP said the tan isn’t instant, so you wouldn’t necessarily notice any instant change in anyone coming out.

Do they offer laser tattoo removal? That could be it.

I was once in a hairdressers and had wondered why some men were going to the salon treatment rooms, they didn’t look like the type that go for beauty treatments.

Turns out they were getting tattoos removed!

The place where I have my waxing done has sunbeds and I've been surprised by the demographic of the users, there are indeed lots of older men with flash cars and young men in tracksuits. Women seem more likely to go for a spray tan. You definitely wouldn't see a noticable difference from one sunbed session.

Or they are using the Internet cafe?

Tanning salons are usually a front for money laundering.

A lot of people here don't seem to understand what money laundering is or how it works.

Quite Whysosexist, the money launderers don't turn up to do it in person, that's the point!

The scenario that I have in my head is that drugs are being sold on the premises, extra money is being run through the books and they are leaving the sunbeds on to run up the electricity costs to make it look like they are busier than they are.
It's very easy to see a pattern of people going in and out

But I could be completely wrong.

I think I'll just close my blinds and not make assumptions again. I didn't mean to upset anyone by making assumptions about the clientele using tanning salons. I think I'll leave it at that

I would make a note of concern anonymously to the police. Leave it too thrm.

You have been watching too many crime dramas

Have you been watching Breaking Bad?