A Liverpool drug dealer was found exchanging “high purity cocaine” in a pub car park with another man that had a street value of £600,000.
Ian Smith, 51, from Kirkby was arrested on November 6 in a police sting as the two men were mid drug deal.
Two kilograms of “high purity cocaine” were said to have been passed between Smith and Dunfermline man, Gavin Kirkaldy, 30, in East Kilbride, Scotland.
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Both men were arrested in the joint police operation between Scottish organised crime officers and the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The Class A drugs with an estimated street value of £600,000 were seized along with £38,000 in cash.
Both men were charged and appeared in court.
Yesterday, December 14, Smith was sentenced to 45 months in prison.
Kirkaldy had already appeared for sentencing on October 30 and was jailed for 45 months.
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Detective Inspector Tom Gillan, of the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland), said: “This is another example of how targeted investigations and pro-active activity is impacting those who think they can profit from the movement and supply of controlled drugs destined for the streets and communities of Scotland.”
“Every organisation is committed to working together towards Scotland’s Organised Crime Strategy and Taskforce and determined to make the country a hostile environment for criminals such as Kirkaldy and Smith to operate.”
NCA operations manager John McGowan, of the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland), added:
“Operations like this show the benefit of the NCA and Police Scotland working together and sharing intelligence to tackle cross-border crime.
“Through the OCP we were able to act quickly to catch these criminals in the act, seizing their drugs and cash at the same time.
“The NCA and Police Scotland will continue to work together to stop organised criminals profiting on the supply of drugs, which in turn will help reduce violent crime across Scotland and the rest of the UK.”
The Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland) is an investigation team comprising of officers and staff from Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency.
