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Scottish police have arrested 43 individuals during a month-long campaign aimed at dismantling county lines drug networks operating within the country. Authorities confiscated illegal substances valued at £900,000, including crack cocaine, heroin, and ketamine. Alongside these arrests, officers provided protection to 38 vulnerable people believed to be exploited by criminal groups originating from England.
One notable element of the crackdown, Operation Silentridge, focused on Inverness and sought to interrupt the activities of gangs from Liverpool, London, and the Midlands who had established a foothold in the Highlands. The BBC accompanied detectives during their raids, witnessing firsthand the challenges faced in targeting those involved in the local drug trade. Police often encountered fortified entry points, such as doors barricaded with wood and bricks, designed to delay their entry—an effort not only to impede law enforcement but also to deter rival gangs.
In Inverness, authorities reported the presence of approximately 12 crime groups engaged in county lines operations, supplying drugs to a community of under 50,000 residents. Ch Insp Craig Still described these gangs as coming from various UK regions, targeting Inverness because of its population’s susceptibility due to experiences with substance abuse. “They come with records of violence, they may have weapons, they use intimidation and they use children in terms of exploitation,” he explained. During the operation, officers confiscated a range of items including mobile phones linked to county lines, weapons such as machetes and lock knives, as well as significant sums of cash. Over 30 properties were searched in the city alone.
The impact on vulnerable community members was a key concern throughout the crackdown. Police encountered individuals suffering from mental health issues and addiction, some exploited or coerced by these criminal groups. Ch Insp Still commented
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