£1.3m M74 heroin haul

A MAN was arrested and charged after £1.3 million worth of heroin was recovered near Lockerbie.

Police discovered the haul after they stopped a car transporter on the northbound carriageway of the M74, at junction 17, on Wednesday.

A 39-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with drug supply offences and was due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court yesterday.

Detective Inspector Gary Lamb, of Police Scotland’s Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit, said: “This was a significant recovery of drugs which, thanks to the hard work of officers, has now been removed from our streets and significant harm has been prevented.

“Drugs cause misery in our communities and this recovery highlights our commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the country’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy.

“We are determined to protect the public from this harmful criminality by disrupting the drugs trade and preventing them being circulated on the streets of Scotland. Our commitment to tackling the illegal supply of drugs has never been stronger and our officers work tirelessly day in and day out to make these recoveries possible.

“We rely on support from the public and encourage anyone with information or concerns about drug-related activity in their area to speak with officers on patrol, contact Police Scotland on 101 or call Crimestoppers to report anonymously on 0800 555 111.”