Three men charged following County Lines operation in Aberdeen

Three men have been charged in connection with drug supply offences as part of a County Lines operation in Aberdeen.

Officers executed nine search warrants across the city on Thursday in areas including Garthdee, Rosemount, Bucksburn and Bridge of Don.

Three men, aged 22, 35 and 47, were arrested and charged in connection with drug supply offences and will appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court today.

Over the course of the operation, known as Operation Makeshift, officers have reacted to intelligence and seized heroin with a street value of £13,000, crack cocaine with a street value of £18,000 and almost £20,000 in cash.

County Lines groups typically use young or vulnerable people to deliver or store drugs, and to sell to customers. This can involve intimidation, violence and in some cases the sexual exploitation of young people. Members of a group may take over a vulnerable person's home as a base to conduct their operations from, often coercing the person into helping them through violence or threats of violence.

Detective Inspector Martyn Thomson said of the operation: "Pro-actively targeting organised crime groups who exploit vulnerable people and import drugs into our communities for their own illicit gain remains a priority for our officers.

"Today's operation shows we're committed to identifying the supply chain of drugs and disrupting the activity of people intent on bringing them to the North East. Drugs cause nothing but harm and despair to families and communities.

"However we can't do this alone. The public continue to play a vital role in assisting investigations into drug crime and I would encourage anyone who believes an individual or property within their community may be being exploited for criminal purposes to contact Police Scotland. If you have any concerns about drugs, or have information about those involved in drugs, you can contact police on 101 or make an anonymous report to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”