A gangster has been caged for his part in a plan to flood the streets of Scotland with deadly etizolam tablets using a Johnstone pill press.
Kingpin Hugh McHugh, 43, was jailed for five years and four months at the High Court in Paisley today.
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He was arrested along with three other top-tier hoods as part of Operation Gadget.
The probe was linked to the Europe-wide Operation Venetic – an investigation into the top secret Encrochat phone network used by criminals.
The gang were also caught with including revolvers and shotguns, ammunition and grenades during the operation led by Police Scotland's Organised Crime Taskforce.
Three of McHugh's accomplices, David Hough, James Dalziel and Eric Morrison junior, have already been sentenced to a total of more than 11 years in prison.
Police Welcomed McHugh's sentence today.
Detective Superintendent David Scott, of Greater Glasgow Division CID, said: “McHugh was a member of one of Scotland's top-tier organised crime groups. I welcome his conviction and sentencing as disrupting the activities of these criminals remains a priority for our officers and underlines our commitment to the country’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce.”
Between March and June 2020, Operation Gadget targeted the group and resulted in controlled drugs - including large amounts of cocaine, heroin, etizolam and mixing agents - worth in the region of £220,000 to the group being seized.
An industrial pill press and hundreds of thousands of etizolam tablets were found at a plant haulage and salvage yard in the Johnstone area.
