Highland officers snare suspects in Nottingham

Police officers from the Highlands & Islands Community Investigation Unit have led a cross border operation aimed at disrupting alleged "county lines" activity aimed at bringing drugs into the Highlands and Islands.

Working in collaboration with Nottinghamshire Police, a number of warrants were executed in Nottingham on Wednesday, October 3 by officers from Inverness

Two men - aged 27 and 25-years-old - have been charged with drug offences and are expected to appear at Inverness Sheriff Court on October 5th.

A 32-year-old woman has also been charged and will appear at Inverness Sheriff Court at a later date.

This week's activity is the culmination of an extensive operation focussed on disrupting at source a supply chain of drugs - particularly heroin and crack cocaine - from south of the border into the Highlands.

"County lines" is where organised gangs - generally from larger cities - set up drug dealing operations in a place outside their usual operating area, establishing a supply chain between the two.

During this operation seven individuals have previously been arrested for being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs, a value of approximately £50,000 of class A and B drugs recovered and more than £16,000 in cash seized.

Detective Inspector Peter Mackenzie said: "This operation is an excellent example of our commitment to identifying the supply chain of drugs and disrupting the activity of people intent on bringing them into the Highlands.

"We want to ensure that the Highlands is a hostile environment for criminals intent on causing harm in in our communities.

"Crime does not respect borders and neither will we" - DI Peter Mackenzie

"The Highlands do not sit in isolation and operations such as this show part of the bigger picture of a supply chain, which makes use of the road network and public transport to bring drugs north.

"We will continue to proactively target anyone suspected of being involved in this trade, whoever you are and wherever you are from.

"Crime does not respect borders and neither will we. As such we will travel to their operating area and will carry out enforcement anywhere in the UK

"Intelligence is the lifeblood of successful investigations such as this. Communities should not have to tolerate the damage caused by drugs and I would urge anyone with information which can help us deal with those responsible to pass this on."

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Sutherland added: "We are committed to disrupting the supply of controlled drugs within our communities - it remains one of our top policing priorities for Police Scotland and locally in the Highlands and Islands.

“Activity such as this cross border operation shows the benefit of working closely with partner agencies in response to concerns raised by local communities.

"The drug trade often exploits the most vulnerable members of society and we all have an obligation to help protect each other by reporting any suspicious or harmful behaviour that may be happening in local areas.