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Drug crime stats are expected to rise next year in Dumfries and Galloway.

CSI Meikle says his team are committed to tackling drug crime.

Author: Marc McLeanPublished 11 hours ago

Drugs worth nearly £1 million have been taken off Dumfries and Galloway streets by police in the last eight months.

Following a tip-off, a large-scale cannabis farm was discovered by officers in Dumfries town centre in August.

More than plants were growing in the building – valued at more than half a million pounds.

Meanwhile, road traffic cops uncovered around £300,000 worth of various drugs when stopping and searching vehicles between April and September this year.

And just last month, Police Scotland reported seizing herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of £125,400 on the M74 near Moffat.

Chief Superintendent Steven Meikle recently revealed details of the police operations at Dumfries and Galloway Council’s police, fire, and rescue sub-committee.

He told councillors: “Officers act every day in this division to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs. This is included on August 12 this year following an intelligence-led inquiry.

“Officers uncovered a large scale cannabis cultivation in the town centre. 921 cannabis plants and associated growing equipment recovered, with drugs to the value of £552,000.

“Suspects are being sought, and all live outwith the Dumfries and Galloway area.

“Between April and September this year, through a combination of both intelligence-led and proactive vehicle stops, our road policing team recovered approximately £298,000 worth of controlled drugs, and seized £33,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

CSI Meikle, who became the region’s police commander in July this year, attended the council committee to give a presentation of the police performance in the six-month period between April 1 and September 30 this year.

He insisted that he expects drug crime stats to rise in the next year or so because tackling drug dealing in the community is a priority for him.

The report he tabled at the meeting confirmed that drug supply charges in the six-month reporting period are up by seven percent on the five-year average, with 49 crimes recorded.

Meanwhile, there were 219 drug possession charges, which is down 42 percent on the five-year average of 306 crimes.

At the committee meeting, Nith Councillor David Slater asked about police activity to uncover more illegal cannabis growing operations.

He said: “A number of cannabis farms have been discovered in Dumfries, but it seems to take a long time to find them.

“Is there any way these buildings could be checked more regularly?”

Mr Meikle replied: “We do rely on information coming from the community in relation to these premises and cultivations.

“I shared the example of a really good return, and that was based on information and intelligence that we received from the community.

“Is it possible for us to check every vacant or derelict building? Candidly – no.

“But I can give you an assurance that when a member of the public comes to us, or indeed our local officers see something they think isn’t right, they will develop intelligence with a view to obtaining a warrant.”

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