Drug Dealer Nabbed with £99k of Cocaine on M74
James Wightman, 67, was caught red-handed on the M74 northbound near Moffat in July 2020. A joint task force— the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland), made up of Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency—was behind the bust. Officers found a stash of cocaine in his Ford Transit van, worth nearly £99,000 on the street.
21 Months Behind Bars After Early Guilty Plea
Wightman had already pleaded guilty at Dumfries Sheriff Court to being involved in drug supply. Today, he was sentenced to 21 months in prison, but got the time cut to 14 months for his early plea.
This crackdown was powered by intelligence from Operation Venetic — the largest UK probe into serious organised crime, involving multiple police forces and agencies across the country.
Operation Venetic: Taking Down Encrypted Crime Networks
Operation Venetic cracked open a high-tech encrypted communications network used by criminals, dealing a major blow to organised crime.
“This conviction and sentencing shows our commitment to hitting drug supply hard across Scotland,” said Detective Inspector Tom Gillan from the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland). “Local community tips are vital to us disrupting the drugs trade and catching criminals.”
Rob Miles, National Crime Agency Operations Manager, added: “Stopping organised crime groups from cashing in on Class A drugs is a top priority. Alongside Police Scotland, we’re determined to smash supply networks and take criminals off the streets.”
