Sharp rise in Midlothian drug charges

The number of people caught with illegal drugs in Midlothian rose dramatically last year, with police recording nearly 70 per cent more possession charges.

Police Scotland said that the number of drugs possession charges in the county rose from 268 between April and December 2017 to 450 over the same period last year. They also saw the number of incidents of drugs supply and production exposed increase by 52 per cent and seizing cash and assets worth over £33,000 during the same period. And they revealed that over Christmas, officers seized £5,000 of cocaine, £2,000 of heroin and £300 cash after executing a number of warrants.

The report on police activity over the last year saw domestic abuse incidents rise by 26 per cent but only around a third of incidents reported to police were subsequently recorded as a crime. There was a 10 per cent drop in anti-social behaviour incidents, with high-visibility patrols taking to the streets during school holidays, gala days and festivals hailed as having an impact.

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Housebreaking incidents, however, rose by nearly 60 per cent from 66 to 105 over the same period last year and the year before.

The report said that work to improve home security had seen the percentage of reported break-ins where thieves failed to gain access rise from 20 per cent to 40 per cent.