Two people have been arrested in connection with drugs offences in Edinburgh.
Around 11.30am on Friday, 8 August, 2025, officers stopped and searched a 21-year-old man in Hailesland Grove, who was found in possession of cannabis.
Further enquiries led officers to a car parked nearby where officers recovered quantities of Cocaine and Heroin. The estimated value of the drugs is more than £74,000.
Officers also searched two addresses in the Wester Hailes and Pilton areas of Edinburgh with a quantity of cash being recovered from one of the addresses.
A man and woman, both aged 21, have been arrested and charged in connection with drugs offences.
They are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 11 August, 2025.
Detective Sergeant John Dunn said: “We work tirelessly to remove illegal drugs from communities every day and remain committed to disrupting the activities of those who supply drugs.
“We cannot tackle this issue alone and would urge the public to continue supporting us in building intelligence about the possession and supply of drugs by contacting Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
POLICE are appealing for information following a series of linked high-value car thefts across Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Lothians and Borders.
Between Tuesday, 15 July, and Thursday, 7 August, several vehicles, including BMWs, Audis and a Mini were stolen from various residential addresses.
Details of the thefts are as follows:
Polwarth Terrace, Edinburgh – Between 2am and 3am on Tuesday, 15 July, a white BMW M340i, registration EH10 JEN and a black/red Mini Clubman, registration, EA20 SXT were stolen. Incident 0781 of 15 July
The Orchard, Berwick-upon-Tweed – Between 8pm on Monday, 4 August, and 7.30am on Tuesday, 5 August, a white BMW X3, registration VGZ 4001 was stolen. Incident 0632 of 5 August.
Matthews Drive, Newtongrange, Midlothian – Between 11.30pm on Tuesday, 5 August, and 12.30am on Wednesday, 6 August, black Audi A6, registration RE59 TKA, and a black Audi Q5, registration KS20 KNA, were stolen. Incident 0923 of 6 August.
Norman McLeod Crescent, Glasgow – Between 11.30pm on Tuesday, 5 August, and 12.30am on Wednesday, 6 August, a grey BMW M4, registration SF25 JJK and a grey BMW M3 Competition, registration SH23 WXT, were taken. Incident 0365 and 0358 of 6 August.
Gilsland Grange, North Berwick – Between 1am and 2am on Thursday, 7 August, a grey Audi RS3, registration EJ18 WGO, was stolen. Incident 0503 of 7 August.
Detective Sergeant Will Dickson said: “Extensive enquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible for these thefts and recover the stolen cars.
“Our investigation so far suggests that the cars may be in the Edinburgh area, although they could be displaying cloned or false number plates.
“If you’ve seen any cars matching the make and model of those described in your area and believe them to be out of place, or noticed any suspicious activity in relation to them, please get in touch.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting the relevant incident number or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Four men have been charged with more than 30 retail crime offences following enforcement carried out in Edinburgh.
On Tuesday (4 August) local officers, acting on intelligence gathered by the Retail Crime Taskforce, arrested a 45-year-old and 37-year-old in connection with 21 shoplifting incidents from supermarkets and convenience stores in Causewayside and Marchmont.
A 36-year-old man was also arrested for five shopliftings that took place at supermarkets in Gorgie and Chesser, while a 41-year-old was arrested in connection with five separate warrants that were all in relation to shoplifting offences in the Chesser and Gorgie areas.
Inspector David Duthie said: “These arrests are further example of the successful collaboration between divisional officers and Retail Crime Taskforce colleagues to address retail crime within the Capital.
“All reports of retail crime are treated with the utmost seriousness, and whether it’s one shoplifting incident, or several, we will use all resources at our disposal to bring offenders to justice.”
Around 5.30pm yesterday (Thursday, 7 August) police received a report of men seen in possession of what appeared to be a firearm on Loganlea Terrace.
Emergency services attended and found a property on fire.
There were no reports of any injures.
Following further enquiries two men aged 22 and 29 were arrested in connection with drug offences. They have been released pending further enquiries which are ongoing.
No weapons were recovered.
Enquiries are ongoing to establish the cause of the fire.
A teenager involved in the significant disorder within the South West of Edinburgh during Bonfire Night 2024 has been given a prison sentence.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 4 August, the 17-year-old, who cannot be named, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison for mobbing and rioting, which took place in Calder Road on 5 November.
He previously pled guilty to the Calder Road incident and a separate disorder offence that took place on Princes Street on 5 October 2024 and has so far served eight months in prison, having been remanded in custody.
Chief Superintendent David Robertson, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh said: “The scenes we witnessed in Calder Road, along with other areas of the city, last Bonfire Night were wholly unacceptable and resulted in a local car dealership having thousands of pounds worth of damage inflicted upon their vehicles, while our colleagues at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service also had their station in the area targeted.
“This individual was an active participant in the disorder and damage that took place during this time, and he was subsequently arrested as a result of thorough inquiries conducted by local officers and CID colleagues.
“His prison sentence is a welcome outcome and should once again highlight the joint commitment of both Police Scotland and COPFS to ensure those responsible for these crimes are brought to justice for their dangerous and unacceptable actions.”
Dangerous criminal gangs profiting from deadly small boats crossings will face a major new crackdown following a £100 million investment in border security.
The funding will pay for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers (NCA), state-of-the art detection technology and new equipment to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.
The investment will see the Border Security Command, the NCA, the police and other law enforcement agency partners receive a significant cash injection to strengthen investigations targeting smuggling kingpins and disrupt their operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond.
The package of up to £100 million will boost existing law enforcement operations and allow more intelligence to be gathered on organised immigration crime gang members, support upstream capacity building, purchase sophisticated technology and equipment to strengthen UK border security and disrupt the people-smuggling gangs.
The investment will build on the recent successes under existing funding, including the arrest and prosecution of major smuggling gang kingpins, the seizure of over 600 small boats and engines, and the disruption of a further 351 criminal gangs through the work of the NCA.
It comes as the NCA announced their biggest people-smuggling raid and seizure of boat engines in Bulgaria last week – showing the impact increased international law enforcement operations can have.
The comprehensive funding package will include:
Funding to support the new pilot of the ‘one-in, one-out’ returns agreement between the UK and France, which for the first time will see migrants who arrive illegally on small boats returned to France.
An uplift in NCA staff of up to 300 personnel focused on intelligence targeting crime gang members.
New state-of-the-art technology and equipment for the detection and disruption of organised immigration crime, including hi-tech surveillance capabilities, and AI-assisted intelligence and data analysis tools.
Funding to support the implementation of extended police powers to seize and download digital devices to gather evidence and intelligence, announced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.
Funding for the recently-established Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce, which is driving law enforcement operations targeting the elements of organised immigration crime activity operating out of the UK, from the facilitation of boat crossings to the running of modern slavery networks.
Funding to intensify illegal working enforcement by increasing overtime for ICE teams, enabling more premium-time deployments, funding redeployment of officers to high-risk regions, boosting intelligence generation, and supporting sanctions teams to target non-compliant employers—delivering rapid operational uplift without requiring new permanent staff.
And funding to support a series of interventions upstream as well as intensified efforts in transit countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia to target organised immigration crime, disrupt human trafficking and the supply of dangerous small boat equipment, while also continuing to correct the lies peddled by criminal gangs to would-be migrants.
The investment will also support the new powers that will be introduced when the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill becomes law, which will include the introduction of a UK-wide offence to criminalise the creation and publication of online material that promotes a breach of immigration law, such as the advertisement of small boat crossings on social media.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For six years, the small boat smuggling gangs were allowed to embed their criminal trade along our coast, and have shown a ruthless ability to adapt their tactics and maximise their profits, no matter how many lives they put at risk. They must not be allowed to get away with this vile crime.
“That is why this government has developed a serious and comprehensive plan to dismantle their business model, from disrupting their supply chains across the European continent to clamping down on their illegal working operations here in the UK.
“In the last twelve months, we have set the foundations for this new and much stronger law enforcement approach – establishing the new Border Security Command, strengthening the National Crime Agency and UK police operations, increasing Immigration Enforcement, introducing new counter terror style powers in our Border Security Bill, and establishing cooperation agreements with Europol and other countries.
“Now this additional funding will strengthen every aspect of our plan, and will turbo-charge the ability of our law enforcement agencies to track the gangs and bring them down, working with our partners overseas, and using state-of-the-art technology and equipment.
“Alongside our new agreements with France, this will help us drive forward our Plan for Change commitments to protect the UK’s border security and restore order to our immigration system.”
National Crime Agency Director General of Operations Rob Jones said: “The NCA focuses on making the biggest impact on organised crime groups behind these lethal crossings.
“We currently have 91 investigations ongoing into the most dangerous people smuggling networks impacting the UK, and are working with partners at home and abroad to target, disrupt and dismantle them.
“This additional funding will help boost our capacity and capability, enabling us to target more offenders.”
The NCA has reported that, in the 2024/25 financial year, it achieved 351 NCA-led disruptions of organised immigration crime networks and activity – its highest level on record – and a 40 percent increase on the previous financial year.
That included 56 high-impact NCA-led disruptions, which meant that those particular investigations led to the prosecution and disruption of those directly responsible for committing the crimes, and resulted in a significant and/or long term impact on the capability of the organised crime group involved.
These new measures fall within government’s Plan for Change.
The government says it is ”restoring order to the immigration system, including the introduction of new legislation under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, tougher enforcement powers, ramping up returns to their highest levels for more than half a decade and a major crackdown on illegal working to end the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats’.
‘It builds on the work this government has already undertaken to restore order to the immigration system, surging enforcement action against illegal migration, with a 50% increase in arrests of those caught working illegally, returning 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK, and imposing tougher sanctions against gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment.‘
Felix Winter, aged 18 years, has been sentenced to six years in prison for Terrorism offences, at the High Court in Glasgow.
The court heard Winter committed the offences between June 2022 and July 2023, when he was aged between 15 and 16. Winter had made known to others ‘desire and plans to carry out acts of violence involving firearms, explosive devices and poison against pupils and teachers at the school’.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said: “This was an extremely complex and fast-moving investigation, and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the diligence and hard work of the officers who worked tirelessly to gather the evidence and bring the perpetrator to justice.
“The inquiry also underlines the advantages of working closely in partnership as part of the Prevent programme, which promotes early intervention through tailored, diversionary support to individuals who may be susceptible to supporting or committing terrorism to help keep our communities safe.”
David Graham, a former Labour Party councillor, was found guilty yesterday (23 July, 2025), following a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The offences took place at various locations in Fife and Edinburgh between February and August, 2023.
The Fife councillor, who was suspended by the Labour Party two years ago, will be sentenced at a later date.
Detective Inspector Graham Watson said: “Graham is a manipulative individual who groomed and sexually abused his teenage victim.
“He was well-known and in a position of power when the offending took place.
“I would like to thank the female for her assistance in bringing him to justice.
“We remain committed to investigating all reports of sexual crime and would encourage anyone affected to report it.
“Every report is taken seriously and will be fully investigated, no matter how much time has passed, with support from our specially trained officers and partner agencies.”
Motorists across the UK are being urged to stay vigilant as “crash-for-cash” scams continue to rise – with fraudsters deliberately causing rear-end collisions to cash in on bogus insurance claims.
According to the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), over 170,000 claims linked to suspected crash-for-cash incidents have been made in recent years – costing the UK industry hundreds of millions and pushing up premiums for honest drivers.
Legal expert Adam Jones from HD Claims warns that these staged accidents are often designed to make innocent drivers look responsible, particularly by slamming on brakes in congested traffic or at roundabouts.
“Many of these scams are carefully choreographed to leave you thinking you were at fault,” says Jones. “You may feel you were too close or distracted, but in reality, the collision was intentional. It’s financial exploitation – and in some cases, extremely dangerous.”
Telltale signs you’re being set up for a rear-end scam:
The other car’s brake lights are faulty or deliberately disabled
The driver is erratic, braking sharply or hesitating at junctions
The car is full of passengers – who all later claim whiplash
The other driver tries to talk you out of calling the police
They provide pre-written insurance details or urge you to use their “preferred” repair garage.
Other roadside scams to watch out for in 2025:
False damage claims: Fraudsters may claim you scraped their car in a car park, showing fake dents or photos from a previous incident.
Staged pedestrian accidents: A person may jump in front of your slow-moving car to fake injury.
Vehicle obstruction thefts: Drivers are blocked in by a second car while someone tries to steal valuables from the passenger side.
Fake breakdown helpers: In remote areas, con artists may offer help then demand cash or card payment on the spot.
What to do if you suspect a scam:
Stay calm and don’t admit fault at the scene
Photograph everything – car positions, damage, number plates, road signs, passengers
Call the police if anything feels suspicious
Never accept cash offers or sign anything without checking it first
Report it to your insurer and the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) Cheatline
“Crash-for-cash fraud doesn’t just cost drivers money – it can cause injury, anxiety, and serious legal consequences,” Adam Jones adds.
“If something feels off, document everything and get legal advice immediately.”
Police have released an image of a man they believe may be able to assist with their investigation into a serious assault in Edinburgh that took place on Clifton Terrace around 12am on Sunday, 2 February 2025.
The man in the image is described as white, in his late 20s to mid-30s and of slim build. He was wearing a dark blue jacket, black jogging bottoms, white trainers, a black Adidas rucksack and a dark coloured baseball cap.
Detective Sergeant Mark Asquith said: “We would encourage this man, anyone who may recognise him, or anyone with information about this incident to get in touch.”
Anyone who can assist is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting reference number 0034 of 2 February 2025. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
