Police disrupting drug gangs, report shows

Criminals involved in drugs and fraud continue to be disrupted by police, a report published yesterday shows.

Officers seized drugs, with an estimated street value of around £5 million during operations across Scotland between September and December 2022.

Cannabis, cocaine, heroin and amphetamine were recovered and a significant number of arrests were made through pro-active activity.

In Renfrewshire specifically, drug dealer Jamie Wilson was caught selling cannabis edibles worth £11,000 in November last year. A raid on the 30-year-old‘s Paisley home found a haul of the edibles, cannabis resin and £1,000 in cash.

More recently, Police recovered thousands of pounds of Class A drugs and cash after raiding two properties in Ferguslie Park.

Officers from the violence reduction unit, accompanied by their drug-sniffing pooch, recovered £2,000 worth of heroin, cocaine and money after the seizures on Tuesday, January 24 this year.

Two properties were raided when the haul was found in a home on Candren

Road. A man and woman were later arrested and charged in connection with drug supply offences.

In February, a huge cannabis farm was also discovered at a residential housing estate in Erskine.

Police seized 800 plants, with a street value of approximately £400,000, after raiding the property at the Pennan estate. A 23-year-old man was later arrested and charged with drugs offences.

Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor QPM said:“Drugs and those involved in supplying them blight our communities.

“The report highlights the hard work of our officers to disrupt this activity right across Scotland and our commitment to working with others such as the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to make it even more difficult for them to exploit vulnerable people.

“Our important contribution to helping to prevent the harm caused by drugs is shown in the report.“

The police said the continuing rollout of Naloxone to officers was also continuing to reverse the potentially deadly impact of these drugs on vulnerable people.