Five concierges at a Glasgow high rise complex have been sacked amid concerns over drug dealing.

 

The men were dismissed by the city's biggest social landlord after CCTV was allegedly switched off, allowing criminals in to the buildings unseen.

It is understood all five, none of whom are themselves accused of selling drugs, insist they have done nothing wrong. They have all appealed against their dismissals.

Glasgow Housing Association, which owns the complex where they worked, declined to say anything on the case.

A GHA spokeswoman said: "We cannot comment on individual cases as our internal disciplinary process is on-going.

"However, I can confirm we have a zero-tolerance approach to such matters and will continue in all such cases to take immediate and appropriate action."

The five men were all involved in what used to be called concierge work. Their posts have now been renamed as "environmental operatives" but their work still includes ensuring the security of high-rise buildings.

GHA and other parts of Glasgow's public sector work increasingly closely with police on ensuring the security of their buildings and assets and sharing intelligence about drug dealing.

Police officers are seconded to GHA to work on security, including efforts to tackle to scourge of heroin and other drugs in vulnerable residents.

The landlord has evicted drug dealers in the past and is particularly aware of the dangers they present to its staff and tenants.

Earlier this year, however, an attempt to remove a man who grew cannabis in one of its multi-storey blocks failed. It was an isolated incident, a sheriff decided.

Tenants have previously complained of drugs paraphernalia found in communal closes and stairways, including high rises.

In recent years, a zero tolerance policy has therefore been adopted to keep such buildings safe. There remains, however, a disproportionate number of problem drug users in social housing.

The concierge sackings were revealed after emerged that police in April stopped and seized a van belonging to Glasgow City council construction giants City Building as part of a £200,000 drugs haul.

As part of a major operation, officers crashed in to the vehicle before detaining and then arresting its two occupants on suspicion of dealing.

They then stopped another vehicle, car, and detained then arrested its driver.

The operation, carried out with support from Glasgow City Council, which owns and runs City Building, was understood to focus on the distribution of amphetamines across north Glasgow.

Nobody was hurt in the crash - a bumper-to-bumper collision between the police car and the van came to a halt. The stop was made at 8pm on April 13 in Barmulloch, north Glasgow.

One of the men in the City Building van was Michael McKenna, 24, an electrician for the construction firm. He has since resigned his post, the Herald understands.

Mr McKenna's is the step-brother of the partner of Paul Carey, the Labour councillor who until late last year chaired City Building.

There is no suggestion Mr Carey or his partner had any involvement in the incident or any of the matters under investigation. The councillor said: "I don't know anything about it."

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Detailed searches of the vehicles were conducted at Stewart Street where officers recovered quantities of cocaine, diamorphine and amphetamine with an estimated potential street value of £200,000.

"A 24 year-old, 31 year-old and 42 year-old man were later arrested for alleged drugs offences and held in custody for court."

A city council spokesman added: "Any business can be a target for organised crime and public bodies are no different. We work closely with Police Scotland to identify and minimise risks and share information."