Police / Drugs worth over £500k seized in isles this year
MORE than half-a-million pounds of drugs have been recovered by police in Shetland this year.
Chief inspector Chris Sewell, who is area commander for Shetland, said he would continue to prioritise targeting those involved in the supply of drugs in the isles.
And he said the work of the charity Dogs Against Drugs “cannot be understated” in stopping illicit substances from reaching the community.
Police Scotland announced last week that drugs worth more than £50 million had been seized across the country in 2024.
Sewell – who took over the local role in September – said officers in Shetland had recovered drugs with a street value of more than £500,000 in that time.
He said he and his team were “committed to making these isles a hostile environment” for drug dealers to operate in.
Officers recovered 1.3kg of heroin and 512g of cocaine during a huge bust at the NorthLink ferry terminal in Lerwick in late November.
Police estimated the street value of the drugs to be more than £125,000.
Two men were also jailed in November after admitting trying to bring cocaine and cannabis with an estimated street value of almost £120,000 to the isles in January of this year.
Ross Bradley was jailed for 30 months, with Connor McNeil sentenced to 27 months.
Sewell said he had “been clear since taking up my role” that stopping drugs from reaching Shetland’s shores would be one of his top priorities.
He added that Dogs Against Drugs had been invaluable in helping local officers.
“Dogs Against Drugs have played a key role in all significant recoveries this year and will continue to keep people safe in the coming weeks as they carry out additional patrols in Lerwick town centre over the festive period.
“Looking ahead to the New Year and 2025, I would encourage anyone with information in relation to those involved in the supply of controlled drugs to speak with a local officer or contact Police Scotland on 101.”
Police Scotland detective chief superintendent Dave Ferry said drugs “cause real harm to individuals, families and communities”.
“We remain committed to disrupting the activities of those involved in serious crime impacting Scotland at all levels, whether they are operating from within Scotland, the wider UK or beyond our borders,” he said.
“Working closely with our partners, we remain focused on targeting individuals and organised crime groups, who selfishly exploit vulnerable people solely for their own financial gain.”
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