Operation Venetic uncovered a huge national loot

Officers have made seizures of drugs across Scotland, including millions of pounds worth of illegal substances.

On April 20, 40 kg of cocaine was recovered after a van was stopped on the M74 near to Lesmahagow. Two men, aged 20 and 34 were arrested and charged.

Gerry Mclean, the NCA's Regional Head of Investigations for Scotland, said:“This piece of activity in Scotland and across the UK was unprecedented in scale.

"It is without doubt the broadest and deepest ever operation into serious organised crime, with the people targeted at the top end of the criminal tree.

“The NCA has worked with international partners and every single police force across the UK, but the extraordinary results we have had here is testimony to the partnership we have with Police Scotland, the support from COPFs and the strategy set by Scotland's Organised Crime Task Force.

“By working together we have had tremendous success in penetrating organised criminal networks, seizing huge amounts of criminal cash, stopping firearms and drugs reaching our streets and protecting the people of Scotland.”

Other instances saw cannabis, worth £80,000, recovered from a vehicle on the A74 (M) on April 23, after which a 27-year-old man was reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

A 37-year-old man was then arrested and charged on May 16 after the car he was travelling in was stopped and 5kg of herbal cannabis, worth around £50,000, was recovered.