Five men have appeared in court after more than £1.2 million of cannabis was seized in police operations around the north-east.
Officers raided a property near Turriff last week and discovered what they described as a “large-scale” cannabis operation worth an estimated £1.1 million.
Following the Auchterless operation, 38-year-old Nerijus Jurgaitis was taken into custody and charged with drug offences.
He appeared in private at Aberdeen Sheriff Court facing charges of being concerned in the production and supply of drugs.
Jurgaitis, whose address was given as Aberdeenshire, made no plea and was released on bail.
A police spokesman said: “A cannabis cultivation worth an estimated street value of £1,100,000 has been discovered in Turriff.
“On Tuesday January 30 officers were alerted to a possible cultivation at a property in the Auchterless area.
“Following a search, a large-scale operation was found.”
Second police raid
Two days later, on Thursday February 1, police executed a search warrant at premises in the Martin’s Lane area of Aberdeen city centre and found a cannabis farm and drugs with an estimated street value of £100,000.
The raid took place at around 9.35am and four men were arrested and appeared in private at Aberdeen Sheriff Court charged with being concerned in the production and supply of drugs.
Thanh Ngo, 22, Lich Nguyen, 36, Phong Nguyen, 20, and Thinh Nguyen, 35, all of no fixed abode, made no plea and were remanded in custody.
Following the city centre seizure, Sergeant Mark Rennie, of the Safer Cities Unit in Aberdeen, said: “This recovery highlights that Police Scotland is committed to tackling serious and organised crime and bringing those responsible for the manufacture and supply of illegal substances to justice.”
