Fifteen arrested over immigration offences following crackdown at Scottish ports

Fifteen people have been arrested over immigration offences following two weeks of increased police activity at two ports on the West Coast.

Operation Lockstream is a multi-agency operation coordinated by the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce, aimed at tackling organised immigration crime at the ports of Loch Ryan and Cairnryan.

Port officers are focused on disrupting activity linked to organised immigration crime on the road, rail and port network.

They engaged with 340 people and arrested 15 people aged between 20 and 54 in connection with immigration offences.

A 55-year-old man was arrested in connection with facilitating immigration, four people were subjected to a police warning for drug offences and 11 road policing offences were also detected.

In addition, a 36-year-old man was charged over drug offences after officers recovered £950 worth of drugs, along with cash and an offensive weapon. He was due to appear at Stranraer Sheriff Court earlier this month.

Detective Superintendent Steven Bertram said: “We are committed to protecting vulnerable individuals and those at risk from organised immigration crime.

“Criminals will use the road, rail and ports to move people, assets and commodities and will look for every opportunity to exploit potential weaknesses. By carrying out action like this we are reducing criminal activity and making it harder for organised crime groups to operate.

“We work closely with partners to detect and stop this type of activity and staff working at ports and on the railways are trained to spot and report the signs of suspicious or criminal behaviour.

“Our road, rail services and ports are policed around the clock, and strong enforcement action will be taken against those involved in criminality.

“While action from ourselves is ongoing, I would appeal to anyone who sees something that doesn’t look right, who is worried about someone, or sees something that looks suspicious, to contact us.”

Scottish justice secretary Neil Gray said: “I welcome the results of this latest activity at the ferry ports which was designed to identify and safeguard vulnerable people from exploitation.

“The operation was supported by the Multi Agency Tasking and Delivery Board based at the Scottish Crime Campus and has made a valuable contribution to the work of Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce.”