Six held in drugs operation
Six people have been arrested and charged in connection with drug supply offences following a major police operation.
Raids were carried out across half a dozen addresses around Lerwick throughout yesterday and today.
A statement from Police Scotland said the searches were aimed at disrupting the availability of drugs in the community.
The operation involved officers from N Division and the Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit (North) conducted the activity.
The statement said: “Six people have been detained as a result of the operation which has been intelligence-led. Six persons have been arrested and charged in connection with drug supply offences and are expected to appear at Lerwick Sheriff Court.”
Area commander for the isles, Chief Inspector Angus MacInnes, said: “The communities in Shetland are aware of the impact of substance misuse, be it alcohol, synthetic highs or illegal drugs. In response to these …Police Scotland, both local policing based here in Shetland, assisted by Dogs Against Drugs handlers and drugs dogs, and specialist resources from throughout Scotland, have carried out a number of pieces of work, including the activity of the past two days.
“As the area commander I welcome the access to the wider Police Scotland resources that have assisted us. This demonstrates our ongoingcommitment to addressing national and local issues and contributes to keeping people safe.”
The Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit (OCCTU) was introduced as part of the Specialist Crime Division of Police Scotland when the single service formed in April this year.
Det Supt Phil Chapman, who leads OCCTU North, said: “Specialist officers from the OCCTU have worked closely with officers from local policing to ensure our activity is as focused and as impactive as possible.
“Specialist Crime Division will support local policing and communities where issues requiring the skills of specially-trained officers are required. There is no community in Scotland which is immune from the potential reach of organised crime. But there is also no community in Scotland which is out of our reach in terms of how we respond.
“Our activity today will help to send a clear message out that we will make our communities hostile environments for criminals and that communities can be assured that resources like the Specialist Crime Division will be fully utilised to help keep people safe.”
Lucy Buchan
I think that by just “sending a clear message” out to “criminals” isn’t going to be enough to actually stop people from committing crime. If you look at the fact that for years, Shetland has had problems with drug and alcohol and nothing seems to have changed at all. Northern Constabulary might be trying to keep the crime rate down, but there has to be something else agencies in Shetland can do. People with addictions need help, because if they don’t get the help, they go to prison, get released and because there has been no change in their thinking, they end up on the same cycle again. Help has to be given in order to break the cycle.