Eight men arrested in cross-border drugs raid
Police have arrested eight men believed to be part of a major organised crime group.
The arrests were part of a cross-border operation which involved officers from Scotland, Merseyside and the UK's National Crime Agency.
The intelligence-led investigation focused on the importation and distribution of Class A and B drugs across central Scotland.
Seven of the men were arrested in the west of Scotland.
The men, aged, 23, 28, 31, 39, 45, 47, and 53, were detained in Paisley, Johnstone, Lanarkshire and Hamilton.
A further man aged 45 was arrested in the Lincolnshire area.
It brought the total number of people arrested since the start of the operation to 20. A total of £7m worth of drugs - mainly cocaine and amphetamine - have also been recovered.
Police Scotland said the latest arrests were culmination of work which will, in effect, bring down an entire organised crime group concerned in the distribution of millions of pounds of drugs.
Det Ch Supt John Cuddihy, the force's head of organised crime and counter terrorism, said: "Police Scotland remains absolutely determined to rid our communities of serious and organised criminal gangs and we will continue to relentlessly target those involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs.
"Hundreds of kilograms of amphetamine have already been seized and significant amounts of class A and class B drugs have been taken off the streets of the west of Scotland."
He added: "In total 20 people have been arrested since the start of this operation which undoubtedly has had a significant impact not only on an organised crime group and its ability to function but on the availability of these drugs in our communities."
All eight men are expected to appear at Paisley Sheriff Court on Monday.