The pair, both aged 30, appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on December 24 on organised crime and drugs charges.
Officers from Police Scotland’s Organised Crime and Counter Terrorist Unit have arrested and charged two men(Image: Visionhaus 2024)
Two men have appeared in court facing drugs and organised crime charges. The pair, both aged 30, were nicked in the Cambuslang area by officers from Police Scotland’s Organised Crime and Counter Terrorist Unit on Tuesday, December 23.
The men were arrested as part of a large-scale operation targeting those involved in serious and organised crime and drug supply. The men appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday, December 24.
David Stephen, of Hamilton, was charged with four offences, including involvement in serious organised crime, two counts of supplying drugs, and directing serious organised crime.
He made no plea and was committed for further examination and remanded in custody. He will appear again in the next eight days.
Shaun Brown, also of Hamilton, was charged with three offences, including involvement in serious organised crime and two counts of supplying drugs.
He also made no plea. He was committed for further examination and remanded in custody. He will appear again in the next eight days.
The arrests followed extensive enquiries by officers and international partners as part of Operation Venetic – a Europe-wide operation to identify and dismantle organised crime groups utilising encrypted devices. An investigation remains ongoing.
Following the arrests on Tuesday, Detective Superintendent Steven Elliott stated: “Today’s arrests are a further outcome of the interrogation of EncroChat data by officers dedicated to identifying and disrupting organised crime groups operating in Scotland.
“Analysis of this data remains a priority, with advances in policing enabling us to continue progressing our enquiries. Working with partners we are now and will continue to be in a position to make further arrests.
“Our team continue to investigate and we will identify further individuals who used the EncroChat network and report their actions to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
“This work is a priority to tackle serious and organised crime as part of the wider approach through the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce.”