Six men convicted of serious and organised crime incidents in Edinburgh and Midlothian have been jailed.
Michael Heeps, Lee Ridgway, John Murray, Dale Bauld, Damien Mullen and Ryan McGovern, were previously convicted of numerous offences including attempted murder, wilful fire-raising and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
At the High Court in Glasgow, today – Friday, 15 August, 2025, Heeps was jailed for 23 years, Ridgeway for 22 years, Murray (pictured left) for 17 years, Bauld (pictured centre) for 17 years, Mullen for 14 Years and McGovern (pictured right) for eight years.
Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: “The use of violence is always completely unacceptable.
“Although these were all targeted attacks, those involved showed absolutely no regard for the communities affected.
“These incidents could have had much more serious consequences and this behaviour will not be tolerated.
“These sentences show Police Scotland’s commitment to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce’s national strategy.
“I want to make it clear to those intent on being involved in serious and organised crime that we will not give up and you will be brought to justice.
“I would again like to thank officers who worked on this investigation, as well as our partners in forensic services and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal services, for their work. I would also like to thank the public for their support throughout the investigation.”
A 38-year-old man has been arrested in connection with Operation Portaledge, bringing the total number of arrests to 55.
Yesterday – Friday, 18 July, 2025 – officers arrested and charged the man in connection with wilful fire-raising and firearms offences. He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 21 July.
A 26-year-old man has been charged in connection with damage at a property on Walter Scott Avenue in Edinburgh on Thursday, 12 June, and a wilful fire-raising at a property on Jackson Way in Tranent on Friday, 13 June. He will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Another 26-year-old man was also charged in connection with two vehicle fires in Port Seton, which occurred on Sunday, 18 May.
The Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to take forward a groundbreaking partnership to address illegal Channel crossings and dismantle the people smuggling networks.
A new pilot scheme will see small boat arrivals being returned to France then an equal number of migrants will be able to come to the UK from France through a new legal route – fully documented and subject to strict security checks.
The pilot agreement is intended to prevent illegal migrant journeys across Europe to the UK and prevent dangerous small boat crossings, helping to undermine the business model of organised gangs profiting from people’s misery by showing others these journeys could result in them being returned back to France – ultimately saving lives.
Both countries are working to implement the pilot in the coming weeks, and, once in force, migrants who cross the Channel by small boat can be detained and removed.
The Prime Minister has made it a priority to reset relationships across Europe and the government is now unlocking, for the first time, the levels of co-operation needed to deliver new and bold approaches to tackle organised immigration crime.
The French government are working to implement new ways of cracking down on small boats, including a review of their maritime tactics so their operational teams can intervene on the water, ensuring taxi boats that pickup migrants waiting in the water can be stopped.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This ground-breaking deal is a crucial further step in turning the tide on illegal small boat crossings and restoring order to our immigration system.
“For the first time illegal migrants will be sent back to France – targeting the heart of these gangs’ business model and sending a clear message that these life-threatening journeys are pointless.
“By resetting our relationships across Europe we’ve made levels of co-operation possible never seen before. This is about grip not gimmicks, and what serious government looks like – taking down these criminal enterprises piece by piece as we secure our borders through my Plan for Change.”
The Home Secretary hosted her French counterpart, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, in Downing Street yesterday. The ministers discussed the work being done both internationally and domestically to prevent illegal migration, including issues like clamping down on illegal working and increasing removals of those with no right to be here.
Since the government came into power, Immigration Enforcement have increased illegal working activity by 51%, with 10,031 visits leading to 7,130 arrests, and will soon undertake a major nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, focusing on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders.
The UK will go further by changing the law to support a clampdown on illegal working in the gig economy. New biometric kits will be rolled out for Immigration Enforcement teams so they can do on-the-spot checks.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Dangerous small boats in our Channel undermine our border security and put lives at risk.
“That is why we are so determined to work with France to go after the criminal smuggler gangs, to undermine their business model, to begin returns and to prevent boat crossings.
“This new pilot agreement with France is extremely important and allows us for the first time to return people who have paid to travel here illegally, and will sit alongside our wider joint enforcement action, including disrupting supply chains to seize boats and engines, shutting down social media accounts, and targeting finances.
“Since last summer, we have returned over 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK and a major surge in immigration enforcement activity, with a 51% increase in the number of illegal working arrests.
“We are building the foundations of a new and stronger approach to protecting our border security.”
Under the new UK-France pilot, any asylum claim submitted by a migrant who has crossed the Channel will be considered for inadmissibility and, if declared inadmissible, the Home Office will organise readmission of the individual to France.
For those coming to the UK legally, an individual in France will submit an Expression of Interest application to the new route and the Home Office will make a decision once they have undergone biometric checks. Anyone who had arrived by small boat and returned to France will not be eligible for the legal route to the UK.
The innovative approach will be tested first before being gradually ‘ramped up’.
A 43-year-old man has been sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh today in connection with the supply of controlled drugs.
He is the sixth man to be sentenced as part of Operation Galvanize after officers targeted addresses in Edinburgh and London in a county lines operation on Tuesday, 5th September, 2024.
Imer Quashi has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison for his involvement in a county lines drug supply network within the city of Edinburgh known as the ‘Tommy’ line.
Several men were employed in this criminal enterprise delivering drugs to locations throughout the city.
Detective Sergeant Mark Walker said: “This group delivered drugs on demand and didn’t care that their packages were destroying lives and impacting on families and the local community, all they cared about was profit.
“There is no doubt that the disruption of this group had a significant impact on cocaine supply in Edinburgh and we remain committed to disrupting and destroying drug supply chains wherever we find them.
“Operation Galvanize was a cross-border operation which illustrated the benefit of close partnership working and sharing information. This collaborative working reassures the public we are in this together to dismantle the criminal gangs.”
If anyone has any concerns regarding the abuse of controlled drugs, or anyone who may be involved in the supply of drugs, they are urged to contact Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
TWO further arrests have been made in connection with Operation Portaledge, the investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country. This brings the total number of arrests to 52.
On Thursday, 3 July, 2025, police arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with wilful fire-raising to two vehicles on Campion Road and Niddrie Marischal Crescent in Edinburgh on 9 June, 2025. He was released pending further enquiries. This is the second arrest in connection with this incident.
On Friday, 4 July, 2025, around 9.50am, officers executed a warrant in Blantyre and arrested a 49-year-old man in connection with an attempted murder in Pitcairn Grove, Edinburgh on Friday 22 May, 2025. This is the third arrest in connection with this incident.
The 49-year-old has also been arrested and charged in connection with drugs offences.
He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 7 July, 2025.
Six men have been convicted following a number of serious and organised crime incidents in Edinburgh and Midlothian.
Michael Heeps, Lee Ridgway, John Murray, Dale Bauld, Damien Mullen and Ryan McGovern were found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, Tuesday, 1 July, 2025, following a trial which lasted seven weeks.
They were convicted of numerous offences including attempted murder, wilful fire-raising and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: “The violence involved in each of these cases is completely unacceptable.
“Although these were all targeted attacks, those involved showed absolutely no regard for the communities affected.
“These incidents could have had much more serious consequences, and I want to make it clear this behaviour will not be tolerated.
“Each of these incidents formed part of a long and incredibly complex investigation.
“Detectives, working alongside specialist officers from across the country, were meticulous in going through every detail and ultimately bringing these six men to justice.
“I would like to thank them, as well as our partners in forensic services and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal services, for their work. I would also like to thank the public for their support throughout the investigation.
“These convictions show Police Scotland’s commitment to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and its national strategy.
“I want to make it clear to those intent on being involved in serious and organised crime that we will not give up and you will be brought to justice.”
A 50th arrest has been made in connection with Operation Portaledge, the investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with wilful fire-raisings which occurred at three properties on Pitcairn Grove, Prestonfield Crescent and Niddrie Marischal Crescent in Edinburgh on Thursday, 17 April.
He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Friday, 27 June, 2025.
Earlier today police announced that a further arrest was made in connection with the investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country, bringing the total to 49.
A 17-year-old man has been arrested and charged in relation to two wilful fireraisings in Edinburgh during the early hours of Monday, 9 June, 2025, in Niddrie Marischal Crescent and Campion Road.
The 17-year-old was arrested on Tuesday (24 June, 2025). He was released on an undertaking to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.
A further three men have been arrested in connection with Operation Portaledge, the ongoing investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
These arrests bring the total so far to 47.
On Monday, 16 June, 2025, officers arrested and charged two men, aged 26 and 20, in connection with the attempted murder of a 54-year-old man on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh on Thursday, 22 May.
They were due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 17 June.
A 26-year-old man was arrested in connection with outstanding warrants after officers attended at a property in the Muirhouse Drive area around 6pm on Sunday, 15 June. He was also charged in connection with a wilful fire at a premises in Albert Street in Edinburgh on Thursday, 6 March.
He was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 16 June.
Officers from local divisions and a dedicated team of officers from our Specialist Crime Division, continue to carry out extensive enquiries to gather vital evidence and reassure the public with intelligence-led patrols.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry said: “Further to these arrests, we have also recovered a vehicle and a firearm, both of which are believed to have been used in recent incidents.
“This activity highlights our continued commitment to tackling organised crime and we are following a number of positive lines of enquiry.
“We still require further support from local communities as our investigation progresses. If you know anything that could assist our ongoing investigation, please do the right thing and speak to us.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 0562 of Friday, 21 March, 2025. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
Officers investigating the violent incidents in the East and West of the country have made two further arrests, bringing the total to 44.
Following the recovery of a firearm in the Roseburn Path area of Edinburgh on Wednesday, 11 June, 2025, a 25-year-old man was subsequently arrested and charged in connection and was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Friday, 13 June.
Officers also executed warrants this morning at addresses in South Queensferry and Edinburgh.
A 22-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with fire-raising of a vehicle on Peacocktail Close in Edinburgh on Friday, 16 May. He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 16 June.
A 21-year-old man has also been reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with wilful fire-raisings at two properties in Glasgow and one in Shotts in April.
A dedicated team of officers from our Specialist Crime Division, with support from local divisions across the country, continue to carry out extensive enquiries to gather vital evidence and reassure the public with intelligence-led patrols.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry said: “Our continued activity and arrests show our commitment to targeting organised crime and bringing those responsible to justice.
“We continue to investigate and follow a number of positive lines of enquiry. The support and response from the public has been excellent, and I am grateful for the assistance given to us and that continued support from local communities is crucial as we progress our enquiries.
“If you know anything that could assist our ongoing investigation, please do the right thing and speak to us.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 0562 of Friday, 21 March, 2025. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
Investigation into violent crime incidents continues
POLICE officers carrying out enquiries in the Roseburn Path area of Edinburgh have recovered a firearm.
The weapon was found around 11am yesterday – Wednesday, 11 June – as part of Operation Portaledge, the ongoing investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
Detective Chief Superintendent David Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “A number of weapons have now been recovered as part of this operation.
“I hope this latest find helps to reassure the community of our continued resolve to target organised crime.
“Extensive enquiries are ongoing and I urge anyone who knows something that could assist with our investigation to please contact to us.
“Anyone with information relating to these incidents should speak to Police Scotland on 101 or make a call anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
