Police crack Operation Asteroid cocaine case

POLICE have today (Mon) hailed the completion of a 14-month covert drugs probe which has seen a gang of six, including two Dingwall men, jailed for more than 25 years.

Operation Asteroid, carried out by officers from Northern Constabulary, resulted in cocaine valued at around £469,000 taken out of communities in the Highlands.

The long term drugs investigation culminated today with the sentencing of Louis MacLean at the High Court in Edinburgh to four years and nine months in jail for supplying cocaine.

Operation Asteroid was an intelligence led operation which ran from September 2009 to November 2010.

The operation targeted an organised crime group who were responsible of trafficking large quantities of cocaine throughout the UK. This group of criminals, headed by Louis MacLean, were assessed to pose a significant risk of harm to the communities of the Highlands and as such, the dismantling of the group and the bringing to justice of the gang members, was a very high priority for Northern Constabulary.

During this 14-month investigation, the following men were arrested and convicted of dealing in class A drugs:

* On 21/08/2009 Louis Maclean was observed by surveillance officers handing a package containing 1 kilogram of cocaine, valued at £50,000 to Gary Matheson at a car park in Spean Bridge. On 19/02/2010 Matheson was sentenced to three and a half years at the High Court in Edinburgh.

* On 18/11/2009 Andrew David Greenwood was arrested in Fort William after being found in possession of 1 kilogram of cocaine, valued at £50,000. Greenwood appeared at Edinburgh High Court on 15/10/2010 and was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment.

* On 23/12/2009 Darren Williamson and John Fisher were arrested in Dingwall following a drug deal with Peter MacLean (brother of Louis MacLean). Some 388g of cocaine was recovered with an estimated value of £19,500. On 23/07/2010 Williamson and Fisher appeared at the High Court in Glasgow where Williamson was sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment and Fisher sentenced to two years and four months.

* On 11/06/2010 Peter MacLean (brother of Louis MacLean) was arrested after attempting to evade police near Fort William in possession of two packages of powder containing cocaine. Police later recovered a large quantity of the bulking agent benzocaine from Peter MacLean’s home address. It is estimated that the drugs and bulking agent had a potential street value of £350,000. On 23/03/2011 Peter MacLean appeared at Glasgow High Court and was sentenced to six years and six months.

Detective Superintendent Gordon Greenlees said: "The sentencing of Louis MacLean today signifies the culmination of a significant and complex operation with the aim of dismantling an organised crime gang headed by this previously convicted drug dealer. Without doubt the communities of the Highlands, and in particular Lochaber, will be a safer and better place to live because of these convictions.

"In total the gang have been sentenced to 25 years 10 months in prison and this reflects the seriousness of the harm posed by the group. Cocaine with a potential street value of £469,500 was seized during the operation.

"This case is further evidence of Northern Constabulary’s commitment to target those who choose to deal in drugs in the Highlands. The message from the Police is quite clear – if you deal in drugs and are involved in serious criminality, we will come after you and we will arrest you."

If you have any information about drug dealing, you can contact your local Police at any time or telephone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.