MSPs urge John Swinney to tackle 'explosion' of Edinburgh gang violence
John Swinney has been urged to organise a summit on how to tackle organised crime in Scotland as a gang war rages across its two biggest cities.
A turf war between rival gangs of drug dealers has escalated in recent weeks from across Edinburgh to a string of properties in Glasgow.
Three people were arrested and charged yesterday (April 18) in connection with drugs and firearms offences as Police Scotland tries to bring the violent feud to an end.
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A Scottish Government spokesman last night said "disrupting organised crime and diverting individuals away from organised crime remains a priority", reports the Record.
But they added the reported incidents in Glasgow and Edinburgh are an operational matter for Police Scotland.
In recent weeks, shots have been fired at buildings and a number of properties have been set on fire in and around both Scottish cities.
One MSP is now calling for the First Minister to intervene on the issue of organised crime.
'The latest explosion of violence in Glasgow and Edinburgh is directly linked to a drugs war that has been raging across Scotland since 2001, we're almost a quarter of a century into this drugs war," said Russell Findlay.
'These parasites, these drug dealers, have no levels of depravity that are too low.'
He said the 'turf war' has already led to innocent civilians being caught up in the attacks on properties, and called on the Government to ensure police are properly resourced and 'look again' at proceeds of crime legislation – which is used to seize assets from convicted criminals.
The First Minister is holding a summit on April 23 designed to tackle the rise of the far-right – in which he included Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
The SNP leader has invited other political parties and civil society groups to try and build consensus on the issue, but the Conservatives have dismissed the event as a 'talking shop'.
Findlay added: "John Swinney, who represents a party of polarisation and division, is staging a summit next week supposedly to tackle polarisation in politics.
'Perhaps he'd be better spent staging a summit to tackle the blight of organised crime and drug dealing in Scotland.'
The Scots Tory leader said organised crime groups, including the internationally wanted Kinahan gang, appear to be using Dubai as a 'bolthole' and a hub for money laundering.
He said: '(The Kinahans) are primarily based in the United Arab Emirates and it seems even the United States, who are looking to arrest the Kinahan gang members, are unable to persuade that country to hand them over.
'So the UK Foreign Office and our international partners including the US need to do whatever they can to ensure these drugs gangs… are brought to account.'
Earlier this month, four people were arrested as part of a police investigation into rival 'groups' in Edinburgh.
Police are also investigating a series of deliberate fires in and around Glasgow.
On Friday three more people – including a 17-year-old girl – were arrested and charged in connection with drugs and firearms offences in Edinburgh.
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A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The First Minister has been clear that the far right and racist hatred should have no place in Scotland. Wednesday's event will bring together political, faith and community leaders to agree a common approach to asserting Scotland's shared values and creating a cohesive society where everyone feels at home.
"Disrupting organised crime and diverting individuals away from organised crime remains a priority for the Scottish Government and partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce as shown through the Serious Organised Crime strategy which puts the emphasis firmly on identifying the key threats, focusing on strengthening the links between intelligence, and making better use of data."
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