Criminals linked to Scotland's drugs deaths crisis are flouting proceeds of crime laws to keep their dirty profits, figures show.
Analysis of Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service reports reveal that crooks were ordered to hand over almost £1.6m of criminal proceeds in the first three months of 2021 - but they only paid £74,000.
Confiscation orders are supposed to recover dirty profits from drug dealing, people trafficking, cybercrime and other lucrative criminality.
The total for the first quarter of 2021/22 was £1,579,000. Yet only £74,000 of that has been paid, according to Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service data obtained by the Scottish Conservatives.
The Tories described the figures as a “scandalous betrayal of every drug-scarred community across Scotland” and evidence that “crime now pays” under the SNP.
The Scottish Government insisted the confiscation process could take time "due to the size of the sums involved".
Russell Findlay, the Conservatives' community safety spokesman, said: "Under the SNP, crime now pays and wealthy crooks clearly have nothing to fear from proceeds of crime laws.
"These figures represent a scandalous betrayal of every drug-scarred community across Scotland.
"When proceeds of crime laws were introduced at the turn of the millennium, we were told they’d bankrupts those at the pinnacle of organise crime. They have failed.
"If the SNP government was genuinely serious about tackling these gangs, they would give our police, prosecutors and courts the resources they need to do their jobs."
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Proceeds of Crime Act remains an extremely powerful and effective tool in the fight against organised crime in Scotland.
"Where a confiscation order has been made by the court following conviction, the collection process is directed by the court process, however due to the size of the sums involved this can take time.
"Where payment is not made within the time allowed the case may be brought back before the court at which time any further enforcement procedure to recover the outstanding balance will be considered.
"This may include for example, the appointment of an administrator who will assist in the ingathering and management of realisable property.
"Between 2006/07 and 2020/21, almost £124 million of ill-gotten gains has been recovered under the Proceeds of Crime legislation."
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