Police Scotland seized drugs worth an estimated £4m-plus between April and June

Police Scotland seized illegal drugs worth more than an estimated £4m between April and June of this year, figures show.

Quarterly performance statistics due to be presented to the Scottish Police Authority on Thursday detail seizures of cannabis, cocaine, heroin and street valium, as well as a number of arrests.

Seven men and three women were arrested in the Scottish Borders resulting in substances worth around £670,000 being recovered.

In Ayrshire, officers recovered cultivated cannabis with an estimated street value of £2m.

Cannabis plants in Dumfries worth £261,000 were also seized and in Kirkcaldy, Fife, plants worth £740,000 were recovered.

Officers also executed warrants in Aberdeen and Liverpool as part of a county lines investigation and recovered heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine with an estimated value in excess of £115,000.

Class A drugs with an estimated value of £400,000 were recovered in Glenrothes, Fife, and a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the seizure.

Hundreds of thousands of street valium tablets were also seized around the country with at least 200,000 in the Glasgow area, 30,000 in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, as well as more than 30,000 in the Lothians and Scottish Borders region.

Detective chief superintendent Vicky Watson said: “Police Scotland has a vital role in preventing illicit drugs reaching our streets and disrupting the nefarious activities of those engaged in serious organised criminality.

“We are all too aware of the terrible toll of drugs deaths in Scotland. The ongoing activity described in the performance report underlines our commitment to reducing the harm caused to individuals, families and communities.

“The encouraging figures underline that those working in partnership to deliver the country’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy continue to have a considerable impact on these illegal activities and are contributing to helping to keep our communities safe.

“These seizures will undoubtedly have a massive negative effect on the activities of those involved.”