Time to stop crime bosses

Anyone who thinks organised crime doesn’t impact on their lives is wrong.

From the drugs that fuel homelessness and misery in our cities, to the weapons used to intimidate and rob, to the millions lost in tax revenues to the black market, its pernicious reach is everywhere.

It is unfortunately a problem that will never be fully eliminated.

But Pol ice Scotland deserve credit for refusing to give up the fight after a military-grade encrypted phone network was cracked by agents in France and Holland.

It gave them access to messages between criminals – resulting in £ 12million of drugs and guns they believe to be linked to the Lyons clan being seized in just two weeks.

The officers who carry out this work against adversaries – who appear to be every bit as well equipped – are a credit to their profession.

Graeme Pearson, former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, believes these “once in a lifetime raids” will set the thugs back years.

Let’s hope he is right and that it creates the opportunity to go after the individuals who run the crime syndicates directly rather than just hitting them in the pocket.