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| Dealers jailed after 'Wire' sting | Dealers jailed after 'Wire' sting |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Members of a multi-million pound Scots drugs gang have been jailed after being caught in a police surveillance sting similar to the TV series, "The Wire". | Members of a multi-million pound Scots drugs gang have been jailed after being caught in a police surveillance sting similar to the TV series, "The Wire". |
| The High Court in Glasgow heard how officers were able to interpret coded conversations after bugging a car and house belonging to one of the suspects. | The High Court in Glasgow heard how officers were able to interpret coded conversations after bugging a car and house belonging to one of the suspects. |
| Brian McCulloch, Steven Caddis, Stephen George Jamieson and Gary Caddis pleaded guilty to supplying illegal drugs. | Brian McCulloch, Steven Caddis, Stephen George Jamieson and Gary Caddis pleaded guilty to supplying illegal drugs. |
| They were jailed for 10, six, eight and five years respectively. | They were jailed for 10, six, eight and five years respectively. |
| The court heard how police initially received intelligence that Jamieson and several others were involved in "high-level criminality". | The court heard how police initially received intelligence that Jamieson and several others were involved in "high-level criminality". |
| A hydraulic press to compact cocaine was found at a flat in Clydebank | A hydraulic press to compact cocaine was found at a flat in Clydebank |
| The surveillance operation against the men began in December 2007 after officers were unable to gather sufficient evidence to justify prosecutions. | |
| Authority was granted for covert listening devices to be inserted in Jamieson's house in Paisley and his BMW X5 car. | Authority was granted for covert listening devices to be inserted in Jamieson's house in Paisley and his BMW X5 car. |
| These allowed police to hear coded conversations between Jamieson, Steven Caddis and Gary Caddis involving the purchase, processing and supply of millions of pounds worth of drugs. | These allowed police to hear coded conversations between Jamieson, Steven Caddis and Gary Caddis involving the purchase, processing and supply of millions of pounds worth of drugs. |
| When Jamieson sold the car to McCulloch, this allowed police to widen the scope of their investigation. | When Jamieson sold the car to McCulloch, this allowed police to widen the scope of their investigation. |
| Expert drugs officers were used to decode the language used by the men. | Expert drugs officers were used to decode the language used by the men. |
| The court was told how words such as "ticket", "corner" and "Lido" were used to refer to a gram and quarter kilo of cocaine, and the cutting agent Lignocaine. | The court was told how words such as "ticket", "corner" and "Lido" were used to refer to a gram and quarter kilo of cocaine, and the cutting agent Lignocaine. |
| During the surveillance, police raided properties in Glasgow, Paisley and Clydebank, recovering drugs with a street value of £9m, along with firearms and almost half-a-million pounds in cash. | During the surveillance, police raided properties in Glasgow, Paisley and Clydebank, recovering drugs with a street value of £9m, along with firearms and almost half-a-million pounds in cash. |
| You (McCulloch) were one of the principals in an organisation running a scheme for large amounts of cocaine Lord Pentland | |
| Materials to supply drugs, including a hydraulic press to compact cocaine, were also recovered. | Materials to supply drugs, including a hydraulic press to compact cocaine, were also recovered. |
| The operation continued until all four were arrested on the morning of 4 October 2008. | The operation continued until all four were arrested on the morning of 4 October 2008. |
| Jamieson, 26, McCulloch, 39, and Steven Caddis, 30, all from Paisley, Renfrewshire, and Gary Caddis, 28, from Cardonald, Glasgow, later admitted dealing in cocaine. | |
| Jamieson also admitted money laundering by using money obtained by crime to buy three watches worth £10,315. | |
| McCulloch also admitted being involved in the supply of amphetamine and ecstasy between December 2007 and March 2008. | |
| Passing sentence, judge Lord Pentland praised the efforts of Strathclyde Police for their role in apprehending the four men. | |
| "To the police officers involved I offer the appreciation of the court for the skill and diligence with which the operation was conducted," he said. | |
| "A great deal of work has also been performed by the procurator fiscal's office and Crown Office." | |
| Sentencing the gang, Lord Pentland told McCulloch: "You were one of the principals in an organisation running a scheme for large amounts of cocaine." | |
| He told McCulloch, who had run a building company before entering the drug trade, that he had misused his business acumen. | |
| Lord Pentland told Jamieson that his motivation in the enterprise was financial gain. |