A 21-year-old man from Inverness has been jailed for over three years for his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs – worth £300,000 – in the Inverness area.
Bailey Taylor was sentenced yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow after officers became aware of his activity following an investigation by Police Scotland’s Community Investigation Unit into violent crime.
The operation involving Mr Taylor is believed to have been arranged by an organised crime group based in the central belt, with Mr Taylor identified by officers as one of the main protagonists in the supply of drugs in the Inverness area.
Mr Taylor was due for sentencing yesterday after previously pleading guilty to drug supply offences in relation to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Between February and May last year, police established that Mr Taylor was involved in the large scale supply of cocaine with a street value of up to £300,000.
Detective Inspector Peter Mackenzie said: “Investigations such as this show that we will leave no stone unturned to identify criminals involved in the supply of drugs.
“Officers became aware of Taylor’s activities during a wider investigation and carried out robust enquiries which has directly led to his conviction.
“People like Bailey Taylor bring nothing but harm to our communities and we continue with our work to bring people like him to justice.
“I would urge anyone with concerns or information about drugs dealing not to stay quiet but to pass this on to police or through Crimestoppers.
“We act on every piece of information we receive and community intelligence helps us to thoroughly investigate drug dealers and make them face the consequences of their actions.”
The sentencing comes after Police Scotland ramped up efforts to tackle the supply of drugs in the Highlands and Islands by proactively targeting those involved.
Earlier this month, police announced drug seizures amounting to £800,000 were made after searches were carried out at 34 properties as part of a month-long operation.
Large quantities of heroin and cocaine were discovered among other illicit substances from the properties spanning Shetland, Orkney, Caithness, Wester Ross, Easter Ross, Inverness, Badenoch, Nairn and Lochaber.
During the January and February crackdown, officers also uncovered a “substantial and large-scale” cannabis farm.
Detective Inspector Mackenzie at the time said: “We want to ensure the Highlands and Islands are a hostile environment for drug dealers.
“Our message to them is that they are not wanted in our communities.”
