A 48-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with drugs offences in Edinburgh.
Police officers executed warrants at Salamander Street, Breadalbane Street and Western Harbour Way yesterday. Cannabis with an estimated street value of around £895,000 was discovered along with cash.
A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and the man is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Wednesday, 29 April, 2026.
Detective Inspector Gavin Howat said: “This significant recovery demonstrates the ongoing efforts to combat serious and organised in Edinburgh.
“We remain committed to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and Scotland’s Serious and Organised Crime Strategy.
“Information from the public is vital in helping us target those involved in the supply of drugs. Anyone with concerns about drugs in their area is encouraged to contact police on 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years and five months in prison for attempted murder in Edinburgh.
Josh Reynolds pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, 20 March, 2026 and was sentenced at the same court on Friday, 24 April, 2026.
He was also disqualified from driving for 13 years.
The incident happened around 9.40pm on Friday, 26 September, 2025, when Reynolds deliberately drove a Peugeot Partner panel van at a 29-year-old man on Prestonfield Avenue.
The man was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment for life-threatening injuries.
Detective Constable Joanne Robertson said: “This was a serious and deliberate act which could have resulted in the loss of a young man’s life. Reynolds will now face the consequences of his actions.
“I would like to thank members of the public for their assistance throughout our enquiries, as well as the officers involved in the investigation.
“Violence of this nature has no place in our communities and we will continue to work to ensure those responsible of such crimes are brought to justice.”
Hundreds of people report being victims of stalking each year in Scotland
Police Scotland recorded 744 stalking offences between 1 April to 31 December 2025, up from 686 in the same period the year before, with detection rates of 78.13% and 80.88%, respectively. Almost half of these crimes were related to domestic offending.
National Stalking Awareness Week runs between 20 and 26 April and Police Scotland is joining forces with partner Action Against Stalking to highlight the impact of stalking and harassment and call out the importance of supporting victims.
Detective Chief Inspector Gary Sergeant, lead for domestic abuse, stalking and harassment, Police Scotland, said: “The impact of stalking and harassment on victims cannot be underestimated.
“As well as causing fear and alarm, it impacts on how they live their lives, how safe they feel, how they act and how they react. Police Scotland will continue to collaborate with partner agencies to protect and support victims of stalking and actively pursue perpetrators to prevent further harm.
“Every stalking situation is unique, but most stalkers demonstrate FOUR distinct types of behaviours: fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repeated.
“Victims can be subjected to unwanted calls, texts, or messages. It can include hacking into devices and installing tracking apps, taking control of someone’s social media profile, or sharing or threatening to share photos, videos, or personal information.
“If you or anyone you know is a victim of stalking, then please contact the police. We will listen.
“Information people share with us is vital in helping us put together that jigsaw of incidents and behaviours that taken together allows us to evidence stalking.
“Action Against Stalking advises keeping a log of incidents, and this can be extremely helpful for our investigations.
“We will assess the risk, put in place a safety plan and work with partners to ensure support is available.
“National Stalking Awareness Week is a reminder to us all of the impact of stalking and harassment and the importance of partnership in tackling this insidious abuse.”
Hayley Tennant, Action Against Stalking CEO said: “Stalking can have a devastating and long lasting impact on victims, affecting their sense of safety, wellbeing, and everyday freedom. It is not a series of minor incidents but a pattern of behaviour that can escalate and cause serious harm.
“National Stalking Awareness Week is an opportunity to remind victims that they are not alone, that support is available, and that early reporting and documenting incidents can be crucial in helping them regain control and stay safe. We always encourage individuals who are experiencing stalking to contact and report to Police Scotland.”
“If you or anyone you know is a victim of stalking and harassment then please contact Police Scotland on 101, or 999 in an emergency. People can also report online, or via a third party like Action Against Stalking.”
A man has been convicted of an assault in Meadowbank in December 2023 which left a man permanently disfigured.
At Edinburgh High Court today (Friday, 24 April, 2026) Alijo Danso, aged 22, pleaded guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger to life.
Around 10.20pm on 3 December, 2023, emergency services were called to a report of the assault of a man at a property on Whyte Place, Edinburgh.
Danso was subsequently arrested and charged in connection and is due to be sentenced at Glasgow High Court on Wednesday, 3 June, 2026.
Detective Constable Chris Docherty said: “This was a violent incident that resulted in a man being taken to hospital.
“Danso will now face the consequences of his actions.
“I’d like to thank the public for their support and patience as we dealt with this incident.”
West Lothian-based business stole £8.8 million of VAT in employment agency scam
The stolen money funded lavish lifestyles, with cash splashed on gold bullion, diamonds, fast cars and expensive properties.
One director is already serving a six-year sentence for a separate sophisticated VAT fraud
The bosses of a corrupt payroll company that stole millions of pounds of VAT have been jailed for more than 22 years.
West Lothian-based Linear Services handled payroll for 27 employment agencies but didn’t hand over VAT they owed to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) during a two-year fraud.
Graeme Cullen, Leslie Thompson, Graham Newall and Martin Lang ran the firm that charged VAT on invoices totalling £8.8 million between 2015 and 2017. The court heard the gang lived extravagant lifestyles with huge amounts of money spent on expensive homes, holidays, diamonds and even gold bullion.
Thompson is already serving a six-year sentence for his role in an elaborate multi-million-pound tax fraud that led to convictions for a network of 20 corrupt company directors.
The 63-year-old, from Bathgate, West Lothian, was jailed in October, while his wife Beverley was handed a two-year suspended sentence for her role in the elaborate scam.
The gang were caught following a lengthy investigation by HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, who worked alongside partners from Police Scotland’s Specialist Crime Division.
Lang, 68, pleaded guilty on 30 January. Cullen, 54, Thompson, 63, and Newall, 49, were sentenced on 21 April after an eight-week trial at Glasgow High Court.
HMRC urges all businesses to carry out meaningful due diligence on any supply of services and anyone with any information about any type of tax fraud can report it to HMRC on GOV.UK.
Police Scotland’s national roll out of body worn video to frontline officers concludes today (Tuesday 21 April), with officers on duty with the cameras in Renfrewshire & Inverclyde (K Division) and Argyll and West Dunbartonshire (L Division).
Around 900 officers including road policing officers, dog handlers and custody staff, will be provided with devices over the coming weeks.
The equipment can help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing and reduce complaints, as well as support officer and staff safety, and bring wider benefits to the criminal justice system.
Since its introduction in March 2025, over 864,000 recordings have been captured by the devices with almost 174,000 hours of footage uploaded of which over 55,000 media files have been exported to our digital evidence sharing system, DESC.
Since taking command in October 2023, Chief Constable Jo Farrell has prioritised the introduction of body worn video.
Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett said: “The national roll out of body worn video cameras to our frontline officers is a key priority for us and is one of the ways that we can work towards our vision of safer communities and less crime.
“The cameras and technology will improve the quality of evidence presented in court to deliver faster justice for victims by increasing early guilty pleas and reduce the time spent at court for victims, witnesses and police officers.
“Body worn video can significantly enhance public confidence and support officer and public safety by providing effective and transparent evidence of police and public interactions.
“There is strong public and partner support for body worn video and we will continue to explain our use of this important technology including assurance around data privacy and human rights considerations.”
Every frontline uniformed police officer, including Special Constables, will be expected to wear a video camera on their uniform while on duty and to activate it when using police powers – including stop and search, an arrest of a suspect or executing a search warrant.
Police staff in custody suites will also use cameras when interacting with people in custody.
The footage may be used as evidence, but it will not replace existing procedures and requirements when gathering all available information. It will remain a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to review and determine competence on a case-by-case basis.
Video footage will be uploaded to secure police systems and the evidence will be shared with the COPFS using the new Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) system.
The introduction of body worn video is not intended to encourage the greater use of single police officer deployments or alter current deployment model.
More than £98,000 worth of illegal drugs have been recovered in Edinburgh.
On Thursday, 16 April, 2026, officers acting on intelligence attempted to stop a vehicle in Murrayburn Drive. The car was found crashed in the Calder Gardens area a short time later and two men were arrested. No serious injuries were reported.
Drugs including cocaine, pink cocaine and heroin worth £98,180 were recovered, as well as a bladed weapon and a four-figure sum of cash. The vehicle was also found to be stolen.
The men, both aged 23, were charged in connection and were due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday – Friday, 17 April, 2026.
Sergeant Will Dickson, from Edinburgh West Local Initiative Team, said: “This is a significant recovery which means a large quantity of drugs will remain off our streets.
“Information from the community is absolutely vital and I’d like to thank them for their cooperation and the information they’ve provided.
“This result shows we will use every tool and tactic at our disposal to trace those committing crimes in our communities and make our community a safer place for all.”
Anyone with information or concerns should speak to officers or contact Police Scotland on 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A 29-year-old man has been convicted of the attempted murder of a police officer in Edinburgh.
Thomas Malone pleaded to guilty to attempted murder, dangerous driving and abduction charges at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday (Tuesday, 14 April).
The incident took place at a petrol station on Stenhouse Road on the evening of Tuesday, 9 July, 2024.
The officer was struck by Malone, who was driving a stolen Mercedes GLE, while on foot attempting to bring the vehicle to a stop. Malone had stolen the vehicle from the Gorgie Road area earlier in the evening.
A 16-year-old boy was a passenger within the vehicle at the time it was stolen but escaped prior to the crash with no injuries.
The officer was met with immediate assistance from colleagues and Malone was arrested.
He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment to serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.
Detective Inspector Alan Sharp said: “This was a terrifying incident for the officer involved, who was left with serious injuries as a result of Malone’s actions, and our thoughts remain with those involved.
“The courage and determination shown by the officer and his colleagues, who were simply doing their job, led to the swift arrest of Malone and ensured that the threat he posed to officers and the community was quickly contained.
“I hope this conviction brings some comfort to the officer and his colleagues, as well as the boy involved, and sends a message that this type of violent behaviour against police officers and staff will not be tolerated.”
Superintendent Andrew Barclay, of Road Policing, said: “I want to express my thanks and gratitude to those involved for their bravery and professionalism when faced with such danger.
“Every officer has the fundamental right to come home from each shift unharmed. This type of incident shows the unpredictable and dangerous situations police officers can face, while doing their utmost to keep people safe.”
A 50-year-old man has been convicted following a violent offence in Edinburgh.
Anthony Brown pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday (Tuesday, 14 April, 2026), to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.
Officers were made aware of the attempted murder of a 54-year-old man on Pitcairn Grove in Greenbank around 9.20pm on Thursday, 22 May, 2025.
Brown was arrested and charged in connection with the incident on Friday, 4 July, 2025, following the execution of a warrant.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “Another individual has been convicted in relation to this violent incident.
“This conviction is testament to the hard work and dedication by detectives, specialist officers and partners across the country.
“Police Scotland remains committed to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and its national strategy.”
Operation Portaledge is the ongoing investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
A man has been arrested and charged in connection with an ongoing operation to tackle retail crime.
This operation forms part of Operation Dynos, with officers gathering information over the last few months. Following enquiries, officers believe that vulnerable young people are being targeted to steal alcohol from stores across the west of Scotland.
On Friday (10 April, 2026), officers arrested and charged a 42-year-old man in connection with human trafficking and exploitation offences. He is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court tomorrow – Monday, 13 April, 2026.
Constable Sharon McDermott said: “We remain committed to tackling retail crime, while at the same time safeguarding young people from harm and coercion into criminal behaviour.
“We continue to gather evidence and utilise all resources at our disposal to tackle this type of crime.”
