Six men have appeared in court charged with a number of thefts in the Highlands.
All of the men, who are from the Glasgow area, denied charges of housebreaking and opening lockfast places in the Ross-shire area.
Gyula Varga, 39, Mihaly Rostas, 51, Adalbert Kovacs, 48, Costel Covaci, 23, Emanuil But, 31, Emeric Tar 34 all made no plea or declaration during a private appearance at Inverness Sheriff Court.
They were all remanded in custody and will make a further appearance on February 3.
Their appearance comes as area commander Chief Superintendent Julian Innes praised his officers’ work for their efforts in tackling “organised crime groups” in the area.
He said: “I would seek this opportunity to acknowledge the fantastic work undertaken by local officers in apprehending the six eastern European men, who have been arrested and reported to the procurator fiscal.
“This is not the first time we have been targeted by organised crime groups because we are remote and rural.
“Can I ask that people living and working within our communities remain vigilant and mindful of security and continue to contact us regarding any suspicious behaviour as we send a clear deterrent message to these criminals and help keep our communities safe.”
