Drugs ‘supermarket’ gang jailed for 31yrs
Dealers plead guilty after raid on block of flats fortress
FIVE crime gang members snared in a major drugs bust at a block of flats known as “the shop” have been jailed for a total of over 31 years.
Lee Docherty, 37, Ian Millar, 39, Brendan Gillan, 32, his father Daniel Gillan, 60, and Christopher McKellar, 44, had been due to stand trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
But instead each pleaded guilty to being involved in serious organised crime.
The crew were arrested in 2020 following the raid in Greenock.
It came after French and Dutch authorities smashed EncroChat phone conversations in which the gang had organised drug trafficking.
Judge Lord Mulholland said: “You were involved in the running of a sophisticated crime group. You ran it as a drugs supermarket and kept a warehouse to house the drugs.
“You used EncroChat phones to communicate with each other and had CCTV to see who was coming to the premises and metal doors to stop people entering the property.
“Recovery of the drugs and money shows the extent of the drugs trafficking operation run by you all.”
Docherty was jailed for eight
They were a blight and caused nothing but harm DET CHIEF INSPECTOR BOWIE ON CRIME GANG
years and was slapped with a five-year serious crime prevention order (SCPO).
Miller was caged for six years with a five-year SCPO while Brendan Gillan received six years with a three-year SCPO.
Daniel Gillan was jailed for six years and four months while McKeller was sentenced to five years and four months. Neither received an SCPO.
Prosecutor Alexander Sutherland told the court:
“They were members of an organised crime group concerned in the sale and supply of cocaine, heroin, cannabis and etizolam.”
The advocate depute said a property in the town’s Oxford Road was called “the shop” or “the trap” by the criminals. Mr Sutherland said: “It was the centre of operations. It was where customers attended to purchase controlled drugs.”
He described the gang’s EncroChat discussions, including one on the purchase of £700,000 of street valium. Photos of drugs were also sent.
Various locations were raided on December 15, 2020. Around £150,000 of drugs were seized and £12,775 in cash. Detective Chief Inspector Robert Bowie, senior investigating officer for the case, said: “These five men were a blight on the community of Greenock and the wider Inverclyde area.
“Their organised crime group was a significant factor in the trade of illegal drugs in the area, causing nothing but harm in pursuit of their own gain.”