In the Scotsman yesterday, the above, and: A new play exploring the impact of “county lines” drug operations in Scotland – where city-based gangs use dedicated mobile phone lines to expand drug distribution into smaller towns and exploit vulnerable people – is to tour next year.

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‘City-based’ you say? I ‘m gonna guess ‘Liverpool!’

James Cook hasn’t gone for that? He’s gonna try to suggest a Scottish city?

Why did I choose Liverpool? Stone-cold certainty mate.

There is long-documented evidence of Liverpool/Merseyside-based organised crime groups supplying drugs into Dundee and the wider north-east of Scotland, both through wholesale trafficking and county lines models.

In 2022 a Merseyside-based gang was convicted after EncroChat messages showed they ran a “full service” operation producing and supplying amphetamine, cocaine, heroin, ketamine and other drugs. Prosecutors stated the group supplied large quantities to customers in Dundee and Glasgow as well as other UK locations. Nine men received sentences totalling more than 187 years. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/drugs-gang-who-trafficked-cocaine-27730992.amp

Earlier cases include a 2009 High Court sentencing of two Liverpool men (Paul McIntyre from West Derby and Karim M’Salek from Anfield) for their part in a heroin supply operation in Dundee. Tayside Police said the drugs “had been trafficked to the Dundee area on behalf of a Liverpool-based organised crime group.” A related 2007 case involved a Liverpool courier caught with 5 kg of cocaine in Dundee; the judge remarked that “the drugs connection between Liverpool and Dundee is well known to this court.” http://web.archive.org/web/20091031182005/http:/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/8329478.stm

So, can we expect the heavies to have authentic accents?

Finally, what made me guess ‘Liverpool?’

Years of reporting here?

How’s the mood there in Liverpool? Well the drug gangs are enjoying the one-way trade making millions and keeping Scotland’s drug deaths up

Three years after a Liverpool newspaper warned that Liverpool drug gangs are focusing on Scotland and causing high drug deaths, nothing has changed and BBC Scotland still will not inform you of what is happening in your own country

‘Loyalist’ Liverpool gangs still exploiting children to push drugs and community violence into Scotland keeping drug deaths high

For at least 8 years now – English drug gangs bringing misery to Scotland from Liverpool but ignored by the media operating here

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