Man arrested after 'vulnerable young people exploited to steal alcohol'
A man has been arrested and charged in connection with organised crime and the exploitation of vulnerable young people.
An operation to tackle retail offences linked to organised crime was formed following a £3m funding allocation from the Scottish Government to tackle a rise in retail crime across the country.
Dubbed 'Operation Dynos', officers working on the probe say they have been "gathering intelligence" over the last couple of months.
Following enquiries, officers believe vulnerable young people are being targeted by organised criminals to steal alcohol from stores across the west of Scotland.
They say the stolen goods are then resold, with profits being used to purchase drugs and fund further criminal activity within the region.
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A 22-year-old was arrested and charged in Hamilton on Thursday as part of the investigation.
He was due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday.
Detective Inspector Vicki Douglas, who leads Operation Dynos, said: 'Retail crime is not victimless and in fact, what we've seen are some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities being actively recruited and indoctrinated into the theft and resale of goods from stores in the region by organised criminals for their financial gain.
'We are committed to tackling retail crime, while at the same time safeguarding young people from harm and coercion into criminal behaviour.
'Operation Dynos will continue to gather evidence and utilise all resources at our disposal to bring these individuals to justice.
'Meanwhile, our colleagues within the Retail Crime Taskforce will work alongside retailers to help enhance security measures and ensure all aspects of crime prevention are considered.'
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