Police arrest 36 in raids on Vietnamese crime gangs across Scotland

One of Scotland’s biggest police operations has targeted a Vietnamese organised crime group linked to human trafficking and cannabis farms.

About 300 officers took part in simultaneous early-morning raids, leading to the arrest of 36 people and the discovery of 14 cannabis-growing operations.

In total, police searched or checked 47 addresses in Aberdeen, Dundee, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders.

Police Scotland allege the gang is involved in “poly-criminality,” including human trafficking, drug production, fraud, money laundering and organised immigration crime.

The force says the activities first came to light after Vietnamese criminals were connected to 150 cannabis farms discovered in Scotland last year.

Around 120 people had been arrested – so-called “gardeners”- and drugs worth £26m were seized.