Villagers ‘kept in dark’ over police operation
VILLAGERS yesterday accused Police Scotland of ‘keeping them in the dark’ about an operation in their community.
More than 30 officers have been scouring a forest on the outskirts of Moscow, Ayrshire, for around ten days.
Patrols have been put in place and residents forced to hand over personal information in order to pass a checkpoint which leads to farmland a few miles east of Kilmarnock.
The clandestine nature of the probe was raised at a meeting of the community council last week.
Police Scotland yesterday refused to comment on the nature of the investigation but it is believed that the search relates to a larger probe into alleged gangland activity.
Rachel Connor, leader of the community council, said: ‘The people of the community don’t know what is going on and they are becoming increasingly concerned.
‘As a community council we believe it would be appropriate for the police to at least tell the village the general nature of their investigation to put minds at ease.’
The investigation is centred on forestry near the Cowans Law activity centre at the end of a single track road.
One farmer who lives near the cordon said he has been forced to give his name to uniformed officers 14 times.
The farmer, who did not want to be named, said: ‘I have given the officers an earful more than once.
‘This is my home and every time I go down the road I have to sign in with the police officers on duty. But when I asked them why, they say they can’t tell me.’
Garden centre owner Malcolm Grant, 71, said the closure also risks damaging businesses.
Mr Grant, who has run the Sunnyside Garden Centre in Moscow for 17 years, said: ‘If people knew what was going on, there wouldn’t be any speculation. People are concerned about going up into that area. We feel that as a community we are being kept in the dark.
‘This is a very quiet area so the police presence has had a huge impact. People are too afraid to visit that area and that is having an effect on business. All anyone is looking for is a little reassurance.’
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘We can confirm police are searching an area near Moscow as part of an ongoing investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment any further.’
‘Increasingly concerned’