Figures just released show that drug-related crime and fatal overdoses are surging as ruthless crime gangs tighten their stranglehold in Scotland.
Production, manufacture or cultivation of drugs rose by almost 50% between April and June compared with the same quarter the previous year, with the supply of drugs going up almost 30%, according to Police Scotland data.
Smuggling drugs into prisons soared by more than 45%.
A force report shows the number of suspected fatal overdoses rose to 299 from 261 previously – up almost 15% – as Scotland’s drug deaths continue to be the worst in Europe.
Police Scotland say drug offences are driving the increase in group 5 crimes – the most serious offences – with 17,878 crimes recorded, which is an increase of 2067 or 13.1% compared to 15,811 previously.
The report says “other drugs offences” rose by almost 52% and possession of drugs spiked by more than 600 crimes or 12% during the period.
There were 1124 supply of drugs crimes, up 28.5% from 875 as detection rates fell by more than 8%.
Opposition parties warned Scotland was losing the war on drugs and called for “robust action”.
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr MSP described the data as “deeply alarming”.
He said: “SNP ministers have been asleep at the wheel in stopping rampant drug use on our streets and inside Scotland’s jails.
“These figures are deeply alarming and it’s abundantly clear that this crisis will only worsen if officers are not given the resources they need to clampdown on those responsible.
“The Nationalists continue to pin all their hopes on drugs-consumption rooms as the sole solution to the drugs epidemic rather than taking into account the role organised crime plays in growing Scotland’s drug market.
“It’s crucial that this soft-touch government show some common sense and take urgent and robust action.”
Scottish Labour Justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said the “shocking” data showed drug-related crime was increasing leaving overstretched police struggling to cope.
She said: “A Scot dies from a suspected drug overdose every seven hours – we need to take action against the criminals responsible for inflicting this misery on our communities.
“Police Scotland are sounding the alarm about their funding and the fall in detection rates is cause for serious alarm.
“The SNP has failed to properly support Police Scotland and has let courts chaos get in the way of justice for too long.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said the police are “clearly under massive pressure”.
He added: “Locking people up for the possession of drugs for personal use is a losing battle.
“We should be tackling drug misuse as a health issue, rather than spending millions on ineffective custodial sentences.
“This would free up resources for use elsewhere in our criminal justice system like tackling the drug dealers who make life in too many communities a misery.”
Despite the upward trend in drug crime Police Scotland insist they have inflicted several notable blows against organised crime gangs.
Almost £6 million was recovered using proceeds of crime legislation during the period – £5,819,748 – which they said had “significantly” disrupted serious and organised crime.
And 65 Confiscation Orders were granted depriving £1,942,321 of “ill-gotten gains from criminals”.
Police Scotland also contended with a brutal gang war during the period as feuding kingpins and notorious criminal families competed for control across the central belt. The bitter feud has resulted in a series of assaults, shootings and fire bombings.
Tit-for-tat attacks saw 80 crimes being committed between Edinburgh and Glasgow with 54 arrests during the period, more than 8000 homes visited and 1600 vehicles stopped, according to a force report.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said: “The supply of illegal drugs and the harm it causes is a blight on the communities of Scotland.
“Police Scotland engages locally, nationally, and internationally with law enforcement agencies to share intelligence and enforcement opportunities to act against those that profit from the suffering caused by drugs.
“Our work is in line with the Scottish Government drugs strategy and working with all partners from the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce, there has been a real success in dismantling organised crime groups and making Scotland a hostile environment for them to operate within.”
The Scottish Government pointed out that drug deaths had fallen by 155 to 1017 last year when compared to 2023.
A spokesperson said: “Drug deaths in Scotland are down 13% and at the lowest level since 2017 but we know there is much more to do.
“As well as supporting the UK’s first Safer Drug Consumption Facility, the Thistle, which has saved lives, we are providing record levels of funding for drugs and alcohol programmes, including widening access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and life-saving naloxone.”
