Massive 'heroin network' busted

Julie Gilbert • Published 31 Mar 2010 16:00

Eighteen people have been arrested for alleged drug offences following a series of dawn raids across Clydebank.

The Clydebank Post accompanied a team of 140 police officers as they raided the homes of suspected heroin dealers while the rest of the town slept on Friday morning.

Senior officers described the operation as "the biggest of this type to ever take place in Clydebank" and said it was "targeting the people causing most harm to the community".

Detective Inspector Brian Dodd, from the Major Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit, said Operation Matiz aimed to disrupt people believed to be involved in the sale and supply of heroin in the Clydebank area.

He said: "These are basically lieutenants of the OCG - these aren't just guys selling tenner bags.

"And this operation is going to affect the OCG's income."

Millions of pounds are alleged to have passed through the 'lieutenants'' hands.

There were 15 men, aged between 21 and 40, and three women, aged between 20 and 30, arrested for drugs offences as a result of the raids on 14 homes.

They were taken to various police stations across the Strathclyde area and were due to appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Monday.

Operation Matiz began in December, but was kept top secret with officers gathering evidence through a variety of means, including undercover buying.

Similar operations are now planned to target more alleged drug dealers in other areas across Scotland.

For a full hour by hour account of the dawn raids, and photographs, see this week's Clydebank Post

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This article appeared in Clydebank Post 31 Mar 10

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