Cocaine and heroin dealers arrested in early morning raids

Published on Friday 6 March 2009 09:16

POLICE chiefs today said they were committed to taking down more drug networks in the Capital after smashing a gang dealing cocaine and heroin in west Edinburgh.

A string of early morning raids involving 120 officers was carried out in the Broomhouse area yesterday in a blitz against the crime gang. Two men are expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today to face charges of supplying Class A drugs, while two other men are still being hunted by police.

Eight addresses were targeted in the operation, which followed weeks of surveillance work and intelligence gathering.

The gang allegedly made parts of Broomhouse and Sighthill "their territory", selling cocaine, heroin and cannabis in the community. Gang members were also allegedly involved in housebreakings and other thefts which are now being investigated.

Police believe they also used violence and extortion to compel "vulnerable" residents to store or transport drugs for them.

Yesterday's operation follows the series of raids in and around Bingham last month which saw up to 18 alleged cocaine traffickers charged and 200,000 of the drug recovered.

Police said the latest blitz was part of a concerted attempt by the force to tackle organised crime in the Capital.

Superintendent Paul Bullen, who led yesterday's crackdown, said: "This is one of many operations that are under way aiming to remove significant players in Edinburgh's criminal fraternity.

"We have actively pursued these individuals after they came to our attention on a number of occasions, and it was decided to take a closer look at their activities.

"This is a force priority, and the public should be assured that significant resources are being committed to delivering this pledge."

Extra patrols have been ordered for the Broomhouse area in a bid to reassure the community in the wake of the raids.

Police said the suspected gang members were not "key players" in the city's drug trafficking networks. Although they did not "drive around in BMWs" or involve themselves in money-laundering, they were said to "live far beyond their means".

Officers had received tip-offs that gang members "used weapons" but none were found during the raids.

Supt Bullen added: "This group was involved in drug dealing, but also housebreakings and other acquisitive crime. They used violence, intimidation and extortion, and tactics such as forcing vulnerable people to allow their homes to be used to store drugs.

"They are a separate entity operating primarily in west Broomhouse and the Sighthill areas. But the tentacles of drug dealing go across the city and we're committed to tackling that. This is just the latest in an ongoing effort."