Drug dealer turf war blamed for violence in Highlands
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ACTS of violence in recent months have been sparked by “an internal power struggle between drug dealers” in the Highlands rather than an increase narcotics and traffickers, according to the region's top cop.
Chief Superintendent Rob Shepherd moved to reassure locals that such violence is largely contained within the drugs' underworld.
Fears have been growing that the operations of county lines drugs gangs – a practice where big city gangs flood other areas with drugs, establishing local bases and using often vulnerable young people to carry, store and deal for them – are being ramped up in the Highlands.
Ch Supt Shepherd said he understands that concern but argues there is no evidence to suggest there has been a general upsurge in violence in the north.
His basic point is that violence is concentrated among “drug dealers” – and “none of that poses a threat to the public”.
But he stressed the force does have a plan that is “robustly being carried out by policing to curtail that violence, to stop that violence and stop the individuals involved in it”.
Ch Supt Shepherd said: “One of the things that people have talked about a lot at the moment is drugs-related violence.
“That has been something that has taken up a lot of my thinking, a lot of my time and a lot of my team's time. That causes fear and worry in the communities and I've talked to local MPs who have brought me the concerns of their constituents.”
Asked if those concerns were out of proportion to the threat posed, he replied: “I don't believe it is proportionate to the threat that is likely to be faced by normal members of the community. We are not seeing – and I can categorically say this – an increase in drugs-related violence in the Highlands and Islands; we are not seeing an increase of drug dealers.
“What we are seeing playing out is, on the whole, an internal power struggle between drug dealers, which is showing itself in a number of violent episodes, over the last three months.”
Ch Supt Shepherd insisted: “Although I fully understand the fear that seeing it in the newspaper or on the TV or on the street might cause, the public can be reassured that there is a plan and that it is being aggressively and robustly carried out by policing to curtail that violence, to stop that violence and stop the individuals involved in it.
“But that is not a symptom of more drugs [present] because I think I'm right in saying that we've seen less drugs deaths this year across the Highlands and Islands than in previous years.
“And we're not seeing an increase in regular drug users or crimes driven by low-level drug taking. This violence is a symptom of, as I say, internecine conflict between drug dealers.”
