Brothers who rescued people from burning building jailed over £1m drug ring

Two brothers, once hailed as heroes for rescuing people from a burning building, have been jailed for a total of 12 years for running a £1m drug ring.

Aaron and Kieran Miller were leading members of a crime mob planning to flood Fife and Central Scotland with narcotics.

The duo were caught after authorities busted the EncroChat phone network they used to carry out their illegal activities.

In August 2021, the Millers were praised for their bravery after they tackled intense heat and smoke to pull two people out of a burning building in Kinross.

The duo were working as gas engineers in the area when they spotted the blaze and immediately went to help.

Their own father later described how their “heroic deeds saved local people from a death-threatening incident”.

The siblings admitted to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime between November 2019 and June 2020.

They were jailed on Wednesday at the High Court in Glasgow for six years each by Judge Lord Arthurson.

A serious crime prevention order was also imposed for three years upon their release from prison.

The court heard previously that the pair were caught as a result of the large-scale Operation Enchanting police probe.

Aaron, 34, of Kincardine, Fife, used the handle “PastaDesert” on EncroChat, younger sibling, Kieran, 31, of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, used the name “BrokenScarf”.

Prosecutor Caroline Macbride said: “The brothers were assessed to be principal members of a serious and organised crime group (SOCG) concerned in the sale and supply of various controlled drugs.

“A review of the messages indicates that they were regularly sourcing and distributing – typically on a weekly basis – cocaine, heroin, MDMA, cannabis, amphetamine and diazepam.”

There were more than 26,000 EncroChat texts about drugs and dirty money sent by the duo.

Ms MacBride said: “Those recovered show that they were part of a SOCG involved in the acquisition and onward distribution of multi-kilos of class A and B controlled substances.

“Both used trusted couriers to move the supplies around Fife and Central Scotland, as well as being ‘hands on’ with the enterprise.

“It is assessed that both were working together as equals.”

The court heard there was a discussion of buying and supplying 10kg of cocaine over a six-month period.

This haul would have had a potential street value of up to £1m.

Kieran also mentioned selling 3kg of the drug a month, estimated to have a possible total of £180,000 each time.

The brothers exchanged texts about how much cash they were raking in.

There was mention of making £7,000 profit per kg of cocaine.

In an April 2020 text, Aaron stated to Kieran: “Buying houses for cash and pulling in about 250k out Fife for (cocaine) and (cannabis) a month.”

He then warned: “That daft car of mine all bring heat, man – then we tell everyone our business too. Need to be careful.”

Later that month, the brothers chatted about the cash to be made from heroin, amphetamine and diazepam.

The Millers’ homes were raided in June 2020. An EncroChat device was discovered in each of the properties.

No drugs were recovered during the probe on the brothers.

But, Ms Macbride said the quantities of the narcotics referred to in the messages had a potential value of more than £1m.

She told the court police drug experts believed the Millers were “operating at a significant level” or “higher up the supply chain” where “customers” were other dealers rather than street users.

The judge said: “You worked together as equals in the wide distribution of drugs.

“Your customers were other drug dealers rather than users.

“You operated at a significantly high level in the chain of supply.

“The acquisition and supply you had was for the retrieval of your own financial situation.

“You could not have cared less about the catastrophic impact of your activities upon the people and their families.

“I make no distinction for your custodial sentences following the criminal conduct of such gravity.”