Scouse Jack drugs gang member jailed for supplying heroin including to Aviemore
A member of an organised North of England crime group known as 'Scouse Jack' which has been flooding the Highlands with strong drugs since September, 2019 was jailed for 43 months at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Two others including a vulnerable Inverness man, who was recruited by the gang to help them sell drugs and gather payment in the Highlands, have already been sentenced after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of drugs.
A warrant is outstanding for a fourth member.
One of the group, 26 year old Carl Masher from Liverpool, was jailed for 21 months and 41 year old Christopher Gow from Inverness, was placed under three years of social work supervision earlier this year.
They were arrested after an intelligence-led police operation which began on March 9, 2021 and when Gow's home address was raided by police on June 2, 2021, £5460 in cash and 111 wraps of heroin and cocaine were recovered as well as mobile phones.
This led to the arrest of 28 year old Liam Riley, of Dorothea Crescent, Widnes in Cheshire whose fingerprints were found on the drug wraps.
He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin and sentence had been earlier deferred for a background report.
Defending, Myhrin Hill told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank: "He was not the mastermind in this operation. He was the courier, a runner and was directed by others to get involved. He was a lesser cog."
But Sheriff Ian Cruickshank did not accept Ms Hill's description of her client's role and was scathing in his criticism of the gang and Riley, who admitted a 2015 previous convictions for possession of drugs with intent to supply.
He told the accused: "I consider you played a significant role albeit you were a foot soldier.
“This was more than just being a courier.
"You were involved in the substantial supply of drugs over a three month period and possibly longer and you were involved with a recognised crime gang in the transportation and sale of drugs to the Highlands.
"You prey on vulnerable individuals in communities, bringing misery to many people and I find this despicable.
“I have to send a warning to others intending to do the same that when - not if - you are caught there will be consequences."
At a previous court hearing, fiscal depute David Morton detailed the sophistication of the drug dealing system used by Scouse Jack to bring heroin and cocaine to Inverness, Nairn and Aviemore.
He also explained how intelligence gathering and tracking of mobile phones by police played a vital role in trapping the pushers.
Mr Morton told the court that as far back as September 2019, the organised crime group was first seen to operate in and around Inverness selling heroin and cocaine.
On March 9, 2021 police received intelligence that a vehicle containing members of Scouse Jack was travelling up the A9 to Inverness and was “potentially carrying drugs”.
The vehicle was stopped by road policing officers near Kingussie, and persons were inside having travelled from Liverpool.
Mr Morton said: “The group operated a dealing line whereby customers would text the line seeking to purchase drugs.
“Messages would be exchanged giving the places and process required for obtaining the drugs.”
He added that the dealing line would also message to advise customers when they were ‘open for business’ in and around Inverness.
“Messages would be sent in bulk to numerous people at a time,” said Mr Morton, with various handsets being used to operate the Scouse Jack dealing line, with drug telecommunications continuing on an almost daily basis.
