Dozens of drug dealers arrested

Police officers made more than 100 arrests

Police have made more than 100 drug-related arrests in the latest phase of a campaign against dealers.

Officers have seized drugs worth £64,000 and nearly £30,000 in cash in the six-week Scottish campaign.

It has been funded with money invested by ministers after being seized from criminals and was concentrated on six areas hardest-hit by violent crime.

The areas were in parts of Edinburgh Inverclyde, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire.

The campaign has seen an 80% rise in drug-related calls to the Crimestoppers hotline, the Scottish Executive said.

Yet again the public have shown their support in the fight to rid our communities of drug dealers by calling Crimestoppers Inspector Graeme Ross, Crimestoppers Scotland

The six local areas were selected for their levels of serious violent crime as police said this is often linked to drug trade turf wars.

Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said: "We are determined to clamp down on those peddling this evil trade who not only bring misery to our hardest hit communities, but think they can lord it up at their expense. They should think again.

"The success of the latest phase of the Drug Dealers Don't Care campaign, funded from criminals' own pockets, shows that the public are fed up with these parasites.

"By providing information anonymously to Crimestoppers Scotland they have shown courage and enthusiasm to help the police build up a jigsaw of intelligence to get these individuals off Scotland's streets."

'Most vulnerable'

Assistant Chief Constable John Malcolm, of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos, said: "There are many examples of drug dealers being brought to justice because people have had the courage to pick up the phone and tell us what they know about local drug dealers in their area.

"That vital community intelligence helps the police tackle those people who think nothing of supplying drugs to our children and the most vulnerable people in our society."

Inspector Graeme Ross, national co-ordinator for Crimestoppers Scotland, said: "Yet again the public have shown their support in the fight to rid our communities of drug dealers by calling Crimestoppers.

"This year's campaign has seen a significant increase in the number of calls in relation to drug dealing as well as other offences."