Five men appear in court after '£2.3m cannabis haul' unearthed in Galashiels
Last updated 27th Mar 2024
Five men have appeared in court after police seized cannabis with an estimated street value of more than £2.3 million in Galashiels.
Officers in riot gear swooped on two former retail premises in the town's Channel Street on Tuesday morning.
Besim Velija, aged 63; Petrit Musta, aged 47; Shpetim Halili, aged 35; Joanis Melcani, aged 26, and Laurent Baih, aged 20; have been charged with being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug.
They made no plea or declaration when they appeared in private at Selkirk Sheriff Court today (Wednesday).
All five - said to be of no fixed abode - were committed for further examination and remanded in custody.
They are due to appear in court again within the next eight days.
Police remain on guard outside the former Woolworths and Ladbrokes stores in Galashiels this evening.
The huge haul of cannabis is believed to be the biggest ever seized in a single day in the Scottish Borders, and is almost double the 1,400 plants - valued at £1.2million - unearthed in a derelict mill in Selkirk last year.
Barry Roebuck, from Galashiels CID, said: “Taking drugs off the street is a priority for Police Scotland and information provided by the public is vital in helping us continue to do this.
“If you have any information or concerns about drug misuse, do not hesitate to contact Police Scotland on 101 or report this anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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