Heroin worth over £1m seized at industrial yard during raid on drug gang

Police seized heroin worth more than £1 million at an industrial yard during an operation against a Glasgow-based serious crime gang with international links.

Drug trafficker Henry McAulay was detained by officers after he drove into the compound in Old Manse Road in the city’s Mount Vernon area in a Hyundai Tuscan.

McAulay, 28, was asked if he had anything that could cause injury to officers during a search and replied: “Just three kilos of mixer.”

During a search of his vehicle, they found nearly three kilos of caffeine and paracetamol, which is used to cut high-purity heroin for street sales, and two mobile phones.

Police found more than 23kg of the Class A drug in a van rented by McAulay, parked in the yard and at a nearby unit, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

Some of the drugs were up to 50% pure and would be adulterated and bulked out for street sales with a potential total value of £1,152,650 if sold as tenner bags.

A further 98kg of cannabis was also recovered during the police operation, worth in excess of £176,000.

Advocate depute Leanne Cross told the court: “This case arose as part of a large investigation by Police Scotland into a serious and organised crime group based in Glasgow.”

The prosecutor said: “The group has international connections and is responsible for the importation, distribution and supply of large quantities of controlled drugs.”

She said on December 6, 2024, police received intelligence that drugs were at or near a unit at the yard.

After McAulay was detained at the premises, heroin was found in the van, and cannabis was recovered within the unit.

Ms Cross said: “Within the unit, police officers could see approximately 50 opened large olive tins stacked against a wall to the left, a jet ski on a trailer on the back left and a black Audi motor car.”

She said there was a small office area “with a significant quantity of controlled drugs on open display”.

The prosecutor said the two mobile phones that were seized were analysed and found to contain conversations making arrangements to transport, store and distribute heroin and cannabis between September 6 and December 6 in 2024.

She said: “Throughout those months, the accused regularly discussed picking up and dropping off both drugs and cash.”

“There were regular references to ‘jackets’ or cannabis resin and ‘the nasty stuff’, meaning heroin. There was mention of kilos and half kilos, conversations around the preparation of the drugs and reference to the drugs being concealed within tins,” she said.

McAulay, of Glasgow, admitted being involved in serious organised crime between September 6 and December 6 in 2024 at addresses in Glasgow, Clydebank, Kilsyth, Cumbernauld and Stirling by being concerned in the purchase, sale and supply of heroin and cannabis, the adulteration of drugs and acquiring and possessing cash from crime.

The judge, Lord Mulholland, told McAulay: “It is a very serious matter.”

He called for a background report to be prepared on McAulay ahead of sentencing and remanded the drug trafficker, who was on bail, in custody.