Fourth member of West of Scotland organised crime group jailed

Hugh McHugh has become the fourth member of a West of Scotland organised crime group to be sent to prison following an intelligence-led Police Scotland operation.

The 43-year-old was jailed for five years and four months when he appeared at the High Court in Paisley today, Friday, 9 July 2021, for serious organised crime and drugs offences. A Serious Crime Prevention Order was also granted against him.

The sentence has been welcomed by Police Scotland officers.

Detective Superintendent David Scott, of Greater Glasgow Division CID, said:

“McHugh was a member of one of Scotland's top-tier organised crime groups. I welcome his conviction and sentencing as disrupting the activities of these criminals remains a priority for our officers and underlines our commitment to the country’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce.”

Three of McHugh's accomplices, David Hough, James Dalziel and Eric Morrison junior, have already been sentenced to a total of more than eleven years in prison.

Between March and June 2020, Operation Gadget targeted the group and resulted in controlled drugs, including large amounts of cocaine, heroin, Etizolam and mixing agents, worth in the region of £220,000 to the group being seized.

Firearms, including revolvers and shotguns, ammunition and grenades were also recovered.

An industrial pill press and hundreds of thousands of Etizolam tablets were found at a plant haulage and salvage yard in the Johnstone area.