Heroin, cocaine and cannabis worth £4m seized and 42 arrested in North East drugs crackdown

Officers in the North East of Scotland have seized £4m worth of drugs and arrested 42 people in the last month amid a police crackdown.

Large quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis were recovered in April along with £100,000 in cash across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray.

Police Scotland’s North East division confirmed that there has been an increasing number of cannabis cultivations discovered within rental properties, which are being used solely to grow illegal drugs.

The force has warned that criminals are seeking top-floor properties with loft spaces to create growing rooms.

Many of these properties also have the electricity meter bypassed to gain power illegally.

One cannabis farm, which held 355 cannabis plants, was discovered on Pitmedden Road in Aberdeen after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had to force entry due to a fire reported from the electricity meter.

There were no reported injuries, and one man has been charged in connection with drug offences.

Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Sherlock stated that police are committed to dismantling criminal operations through “proactive work.”

He added: “Criminals often use rental properties which, to neighbours, may appear unoccupied. They are also actively looking for upper-storey flats or those with loft spaces that landlords may not be aware are being used for this function. I’d ask residents and neighbours to be vigilant of properties which may be visited for short periods of time in the space of a week or fortnight, and look like no one lives there with covered or blacked-out windows.

“Tampering with power supplies to bypass mains electricity is extremely dangerous not only for the address itself but for neighbouring and adjacent properties. Cannabis farms use substantial amounts of electricity, and the risk of fire is increased with overloaded circuits.

“We are determined to protect the public from this harmful criminality by disrupting the drugs trade and preventing them being circulated on the streets of Scotland.

“Information from the public is vital. We would ask anyone with information or concerns about drugs in their community or a property in their area, to contact us.”

Those with information or concerns are urged to call the police via 101. Further information for landlords is available at: https://orlo.uk/tWttn