Scotland’s top police chief has warned South Ayrshire nightspots are “plagued” by cocaine drug takers.
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone revealed the problem in a report for the council’s licensing board.
The document, which will go before councillors at a meeting this week, also said there are four organised crime gangs operating in Ayrshire.
Mr Livingstone’s report said: “The night time economy continues to be plagued by cocaine use from patrons of all ages however encouraging measures to prevent cocaine use are being implemented by licensees, who recognise the importance of proactivity towards drug misuse.”
Four premises selling booze were closely monitored by police over the course of the last year in South Ayrshire.
Officers kept their eyes on the venues after subjecting them to formal police interventions to ensure they clean up operations.
The four local businesses have not been named by police.
The report said the intervention agreements are made between venue bosses and the police about areas of improvement. Police check the improvements are made within a timescale.
Mr Livingstone warned in the report some criminal networks have a “known interest” in certain businesses with licences.
The report said: “Serious and organised crime presents a clear threat to the Ayrshire licensing trade and legitimate economy. As a result, Ayrshire division continues to target known criminality in this area as well as attempting to reduce the opportunity for individuals to exploit legitimate licensing opportunities for their own illegitimate means.”
It added: “At this current time, there are four Serious Organised Crime Groups being managed by Ayrshire Division with some of these groups having a known interest in a business requiring some form of licence to operate. Not all groups are based in South Ayrshire but they all operate on a pan-Ayrshire basis.”
There are 402 premises licenced to sell alcohol in South Ayrshire including on and off sales.
The chief constable’s annual licensing report covered the period April 2019 to April 2020.
