Police in Aberdeen have seized nearly £700,000 worth of drugs and more than £80,000 in cash over the last two years as part of an ongoing anti-drugs campaign, new figures revealed yesterday.
Details obtained through Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation show that the value of drugs taken as part of Operation Maple between April 2013 and March 2015 was £677,018, with £80,641 in cash seized over the same period.
The statistics also show that 256 people were arrested.
But the force said it was unable to provide full figures for the entire operation, which was launched in October 2010, due to a change in the way information was previously recorded.
The FOI response from police chiefs also refused to release the cost of the operation, adding: “A and B Divisions of Police Scotland did not have systems in place for calculating the cost of any specific operation or investigation.”
In the five years the operation has been active, police have carried out a number of high-profile raids in the city.
In February, officers seized £75,000 of cannabis, £1,000 of other controlled drugs and £5,000 of cash after dramatic raids, including operations on suspected brothels, took place.
Luan Grugeon, chief executive of Aberdeen charity Drugs Action, said she was “pleased” at the police response.
She said: “Enforcement is one part of the local strategy to address drug problems.
“At Drugs Action we have been pleased that Police Scotland have been proactive through their operations in encouraging people to come to DA to access support.
“This is because at the heart of all our activities the need to help people recover.”
Divisional Commander for Aberdeen City, Chief Superintendent Adrian Watson, said: “Operation Maple has successfully run in Aberdeen since 2010 and has been locally and nationally recognised as good practice.
“It involves a variety of partner agencies including Aberdeen City Council, NHS Grampian and the Scottish Government.
“The community policing teams work closely with proactive officers as well as communities to target areas where concerns have been raised.
“It is absolutely vital that this relationship is maintained with our communities and we urge anyone who may have concerns to contact us on 101.
“By working with partners we aim to address the complex issues that can arise around drug misuse and support those who are vulnerable into a life away from crime.”