In recent months Police Scotland has seized illegal drugs – including thousands of cannabis plants which, if sold, would have an estimated street value of more than £10 million.
Officers have discovered large-scale cannabis cultivations across the country – the most significant in Greenock, Paisley Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Inverness – being grown in vacated industrial units and empty shops.
Dozens of people, many from the Western Balkans region of Europe who are known to have a significant footprint in this criminal activity, have also been arrested and charged in connection with the cultivation of cannabis plants.
- A 32-year-old man was charged in connection with drug offences after a cannabis cultivation was discovered at a property in Cuminestown on 30 April 2024. A further recovery was in Portlethen and a further two properties were searched in the Torry and Bucksburn areas of Aberdeen. Cannabis with an estimated street value of over £300,000 was seized during the operation
- Seven men aged between 20 and 31 years of age were arrested and charged in connection with drugs and immigration offences following a search of a vehicle and a property in Inchinnan Road, Renfrew on 12 May 2024 and a quantity of drugs, believed to be cannabis with an estimated street value of £150,000, was recovered along with a quantity of cash
- Two men were arrested and charged following a drugs operation in Hawick on the 9 May 2024 and cannabis plants worth an estimated street value of approximately £105,000 were seized
- On 8 May 2024, officers discovered cannabis plants at a property in the Broomhouse area of Ediburgh with an estimated street value of £303,000 and arrested and charged a 28-year-old man
- Drugs with an estimated street value of over £78,000 were recovered in a pre-planned operation which took place in Dundee on Saturday, 4 May 2024. A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the find
- A 30-year-old man was arrested and charged after drugs with an estimated street value of around £286,000 were recovered on 26 April, after officers stopped a vehicle on the M73 near Ballieston. A property in Cumbernauld was searched and a further quantity of cannabis was recovered
- On 2 April 2024, officers searched a premises in Townhead, Glasgow and recovered drugs, believed to be cannabis, with an estimated street value of £260,000 and arrested a 33-year-old man
- On 26 March 2024 five men – aged between 26 and 63 – were arrested and charged following an operation in Galashiels where cannabis with an estimated street value of over £2.3million was recovered
- On 7 March 2024, seven men were arrested and charged in connection with the recovery of a large cannabis cultivation within a derelict building in King Street, Kilmarnock with an estimated street value of up to £150,000
- A cannabis cultivation worth an estimated £1.7 million was recovered in Falkirk on 5 February 2024, after officers attended a storage facility at an industrial estate. Three men aged 26, 31 and 34 were arrested and charged
- Drugs worth more than £510,000 were recovered after a vehicle was searched at Loch Ryan Port and a 40-year-old man was arrested and charged
- Cannabis plants with an estimated street value of £3,600,000 were recovered from a premises in Greenock. Officers arrested and charged three men, aged 25, 32 and 37 years
- On 8 January 2024, cannabis plants estimated to be worth over £2.25 million were recovered in Dundee and four men, aged between 26 and 36, were arrested and charged.
Detective Superintendent Ray Birnie said:
“Drugs, and those involved in supplying them, blight our communities and our officers work tirelessly every day to disrupt the activities of organised crime groups right across Scotland to make it even more difficult for them to exploit vulnerable people.
“Organised criminals do not care about people, they only care about money and power. Cannabis cultivation and being involved in selling and supplying it is most certainly not a victimless crime. As well being involved in the cultivation of thousands of cannabis plants they are involved in human trafficking and modern slavery and continually exploit vulnerable people on our communities for their own nefarious financial gain. They use violence and force others to carry out criminality on their behalf.
“These activities are also extremely dangerous as cultivations are typically found within empty and sometimes derelict buildings. Officers, forensic staff and other agencies put themselves at risk when accessing these sites to gather evidence and carry out enquiries. The electricity supply is often in a dangerous condition, and in one instance the road and pavement outside a property had been dug up leaving cables exposed.
“Signs that cannabis is being cultivated include the distinctive smell coming from a property, regular visits by unfamiliar people and excessive lighting or heating being used. Landlords are also urged to check utility bills for excessive usage.”
Intelligence gathered from members of the public communities is a key element in detecting cannabis cultivations in our communities. Anyone who has information about cannabis being grown or sees suspicious activity is urged to contact Police Scotland or they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Officers continue to work in partnership with national and international law enforcement partners, including the members of Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to act and disrupt this sort of criminal activity.
Days of action are carried out to identify premises being used for the cultivation of cannabis plants and Road Policing Units regularly stop vehicles and arrest occupants for transporting drugs into, and across, Scotland.
