Key facts
- Police Scotland arrested 36 individuals in a large-scale operation targeting a Vietnamese organised crime group.
- The group is suspected of involvement in human trafficking, drug production, fraud, money laundering, and organised immigration crime.
- Approximately 300 officers participated in raids across Scotland and other UK locations.
- Fourteen cannabis-growing operations were discovered.
- The operation is considered Police Scotland's biggest human trafficking investigation.
- Authorities believe the group operates across the UK and internationally.
Police Scotland has conducted one of its largest operations, involving approximately 300 officers, to target a Vietnamese organised crime group suspected of extensive criminal activities including human trafficking. The coordinated raids, which took place across Scotland and other parts of the UK, resulted in the arrest of 36 individuals.
Authorities allege the group is involved in "poly-criminality," encompassing human trafficking, drug production, fraud, money laundering, and organised immigration crime. The investigation was prompted by the discovery of 150 cannabis farms in Scotland last year, leading to about 120 arrests of individuals described as "gardeners" and the seizure of drugs worth £26 million. Subsequent inquiries linked a single Vietnamese crime group to roughly a third of these farms.
During Wednesday's raids, 14 cannabis-growing operations were uncovered. Police also searched or checked 47 addresses in various locations including Aberdeen, Dundee, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Midlothian, and the Scottish Borders. Officers also made arrests in Birmingham as part of the wider enforcement action.
Det Supt Stevie Bertram described the operation as "by far the biggest human trafficking investigation that Police Scotland has ever run," aiming to "disrupt and absolutely cripple that organisation." He added that the group is believed to operate across the UK and internationally, with liaison efforts underway with regional crime teams in England, Wales, and Ireland, as well as with authorities in Vietnam through the National Crime Agency.
Police will now work to identify potential victims of human trafficking among those arrested, noting that Vietnamese nationals remain the highest nationality exploited in Scotland. Examination of seized mobile phones, data, and paperwork will be conducted to ensure any victims are quickly identified and supported.