MEMBERS of a suspected crime gang, including a prisoner, accused of trafficking heroin and producing amphetamine worth millions of pounds from Scotland have been arrested as part of a major police operation.

Operation Venetic saw National Crime Agency officers arrest six of the group at addresses across Merseyside, supported by Merseyside Police, a seventh in Glasgow assisted by Police Scotland and the eighth was produced from prison.

The operation to crack what police said was an "industrial scale" amphetamine production plot came after Encrochat - a secure mobile phone instant messaging service used by criminals worldwide - was cracked by an international law enforcement team.

Analysis of messages acquired as part of the operation – an investigation into the encrypted messaging platform – supported the investigation.

The Dutch encrypted system boasted of being totally secure and gangs are reported to have used £3,000 a year phones to facilitate crime.

Officers believe they were planning to produce large quantities of amphetamine at a location in Scotland, as well as trafficking heroin from Scotland to Merseyside.

The group, aged between 34 and 66, remain in custody.

On December 4, 2020, as part of the same investigation, more than 620kg of APAA - a substance used in the manufacture of amphetamine - was seized and two men arrested after arriving on a flight from Turkey.

Both were later released under investigation.

Among the arrested was a 47-year-old man, who was apprehended in Garshake Terrace, Dumbarton, on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug (heroin).

Ian McConnell, NCA operations manager, said: “Producing amphetamine on an industrial scale would have devastating consequences for the community - drug trafficking thrives on inciting violence, spreading fear and exploiting vulnerable children and adults for criminal gain.

“Today’s action has led to the arrest of eight suspected members of an organised crime group and will continue to target those at the top of the drug market chain, to make their businesses unviable and keep people safe.”

In July, last year, as part of Operation Venetic, Police Scotland arrested 59 people and seized more than £25m worth of drugs as part of the UK’s biggest organised crime operation.

More than 700 people were rounded up across the country after an “impregnable” encrypted phone system was hacked by law enforcement agents.

NCA chiefs said the phones were “pivotal” to “co-ordinate, command and control” organised crime in the UK and “underpins much of their business model.”

Cocaine, heroin, cannabis, herbal cannabis and thousands of Etizolam tablets were recovered last July, along with more than £7m of laundered cash and a number of firearms, ammunition, explosives and industrial pill presses.

The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce at the time welcomed the successful cross border operation the most significant ever UK operation into serious and organised crime involving Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and police forces across the UK.

More than 50 warrants were executed by hundreds of officers at addresses throughout the country as part of the nationwide intelligence-led operation.

The operation was described by the UK’s National Crime Agency as the biggest ever blow against organised crime in history.

Over £7 million of laundered cash and a number of firearms, ammunition, explosives and industrial pill presses were also seized.

The other arrests.

A 46-year-old man was arrested on Freckleton Road, Saint Helens on suspicion of conspiracy to produce a Class B drug (Amphetamine) and conspiracy to supply a Class A drug (heroin).

A 51-year-old man was arrested on Jacqueline Drive, Liverpool, on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug (heroin).

A 66-year-old man was arrested on Longreach Road, Liverpool, on suspicion of conspiracy to produce a Class B drug (Amphetamine) and conspiracy to supply a Class A drug (heroin).

A 60-year-old man was arrested on Sandringham Road, Tuebrook, Merseyside on suspicion of conspiracy to produce a Class B drug (Amphetamine).

A 34-year-old man was arrested at York Road, Birkdale on suspicion of conspiracy to produce a Class B drug (Amphetamine).

A 46-year-old man was arrested on Devon Way, Liverpool, L36, on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug (heroin).

A 46-year-old man was produced from prison and arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to produce a Class B drug (Amphetamine).