Man jailed in connection with serious organised crime in The Borders

A man has been jailed for seven years and six months for his part in serious organised crime in the Scottish Borders.

Christopher Ferguson, 36, was sentenced on Thursday, 11 April, at Glasgow High Court, having plead guilty to directing serious organised crime. His pleas of not guilty to charges including being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs and money laundering were accepted.

Ferguson was arrested in April 2023 as part of Operation Bergwind, which saw officers from Police Scotland’s Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit (OCCTU) teams and local officers from Operation Jabiru recover drugs worth more than £670,000 as they targeted the supply of illegal substances in the Scottish Borders.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hughes, OCCTU East, said: “Drugs have no place in our communities and we’re committed to tackling the sale and distribution of them.

“We work hard to ensure all of Scotland is a hostile environment for those who want to engage in criminal activity. Convictions like this prove you will be caught and forced to face the consequences.”

Detective Chief Superintendent of OCCTU Steven Elliott said: “This operation underlines our commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the country’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy.

“Information from the public is crucial in helping us to combat those involved in drugs activity in our communities. It is only as a community working together that we can tackle drug dealing activity.

“Anyone with any information regarding drug dealing or county lines activities in their area are asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”