Mark Francis Quinn sentenced for drug offences

Mark Francis Quinn has been sentenced to seven years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow after being convicted for his involvement in supplying millions of pounds of Amphetamine into Scotland during 2013 and 2014.

The 58-year-old, who had fled the UK in June 2014, pled guilty to being involved in the supply of the drugs when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh in July.

He was arrested in Maastricht on an international arrest warrant in October 2021, following a joint operation by Police Scotland, National Crime Agency (NCA) and Dutch law enforcement officers, which saw him extradited back to Scotland.

His conviction and sentence have been welcomed by police and prosecutors.

Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Houston, Police Scotland’s Head of Organised Crime, said:

“Quinn was part of a group intent on shipping Amphetamine to Scotland for personal gain. However, disrupting the activities of those involved in organised criminality and working in partnership to make Scotland a hostile environment for them to operate is a priority for Police Scotland. This underlines our commitment to achieving Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy.

“He then attempted to evade justice and the consequences of his criminal actions by fleeing the country. However, our officers and our partners were determined to track him down and extradite him back to Scotland to ensure he was brought before the courts to be prosecuted for his crimes, no matter how long has passed.

“I am grateful for the assistance of our law enforcements partners in this country and abroad who worked with us to secure his arrest.”

Laura Buchan, Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework, said:

“Mark Quinn played a significant role in an organised criminal network involved in the international supply and trafficking of drugs.

“This case demonstrates the ability of prosecutors in Scotland to conduct investigations that stretch across legal jurisdictions and continents, to target highly experienced organised crime groups, and to bring to justice individuals involved in sophisticated drug operations.

“We will continue to work closely with Police Scotland and the NCA to ensure that we disrupt their networks and bring them to justice wherever they are found.”

NCA Branch Commander Ian Thomas said: “Mark Quinn organised for millions of pounds worth of amphetamine to be sent to Scotland for sale on the streets. These drugs have a corrosive impact on our communities, causing deaths and harm.

“Quinn tried to hide from the consequences of his crimes for years, but with our partners at Police Scotland and the Dutch police, the NCA helped to track Quinn down in the Netherlands where he was arrested.

“His capture should serve as a warning to other fugitives on the NCA’s Most Wanted list – the NCA has international reach and even if you leave the UK we can still get to you. We are relentless and we will not stop in our work to track you down.

“For further details of those who remain outstanding visit www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/most-wanted.”