Five people have been convicted for their roles in running an organised crime group’s drug dealing operation in Aberdeen.
They were targeted by Operation Dismantle, led by Police Scotland’s north-east Organised Crime Unit, in 2020.
The investigation focused on the criminal group that was involved in county lines drug dealing and organised crime.
Over a six-month period, between February and July 2020, officers pieced together evidence of a county-line supply of crack cocaine and heroin from London to Aberdeen.
The discovery concerned addresses predominantly throughout Aberdeen city centre and Rosemount.
Police raids led to arrests
Donovan Gilbert Smith, 27, was arrested and charged at the end of the operation, at an address in Hornchurch, London, on Tuesday 7 July 2020.
The joint action involved Police Scotland and officers from the Metropolitan Police, who traced Smith – the man orchestrating the county line – to the address of the raid.
During the arrest, they discovered approximately £55,000 in cash and proceeds of crime in excess of £100,000.
Smith’s associates, who assisted his drug operation, were arrested earlier.
They included Zamar Green, 21, and 25-year-old Gavion Hugh Smith.
On 31 March 2020, Green was traced to a property on Charlotte Street, Aberdeen, and dealer quantities of heroin, crack cocaine and a four-figure sum of cash were all seized.
At the time, Green appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and was prohibited from returning to Scotland.
He has since been sentenced to two years imprisonment for his involvement in the drug-dealing operation.
Court appearances
On June 8 2020, following an intelligence-led part of the police operation, a drug search warrant was executed at an address on Union Terrace, Aberdeen.
Dealer quantities of heroin, crack cocaine and a four-figure sum of cash were taken into evidence.
At the time, Gavion Smith appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and was prohibited from returning to Scotland.
He has since been sentenced to three years imprisonment for his involvement in the operation.
A further two people – one woman, aged 22, and a 30-year-old man – were both arrested and charged with Class A drug supply offences.
They were couriers, one based in London and the other one in Aberdeen.
The 22-year-old woman was given a community payback order and the 30-year-old man was jailed for 290 days.
Donovan Smith has been remanded in custody since his arrest in July 2020.
On April 12 this year he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh where he pled guilty to his involvement and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
‘Illegal drugs cause misery and harm’
Detective Chief Inspector Karen Main said: “This investigation has disrupted a supply line of drugs from London to Aberdeen and reinforces our commitment to weeding out those involved in county lines drug supply.
“Illegal drugs cause misery and harm to our communities and we will continue to use all available resources to ensure they are removed from our streets and that those involved in pedalling them are apprehended.”
If anyone has concerns around county lines or drug dealing in their community, please call Police Scotland via 101 and report your concerns.
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