Scotland’s Justice Secretary, Angela Constance, reiterated her call for the decriminalisation of personal drug use and defended police warnings for heroin users during an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Scottish Crime Campus. The £73 million facility in Gartcosh focuses on tackling organised crime, but Constance faced criticism for supporting drug decriminalisation.

Her comments came ahead of the release of drug death statistics showing Scotland has the highest drug-related death rate in Europe, with 1,219 fatalities in the past year. While Constance maintained that reducing harm and addressing addiction are key to tackling the issue, Scottish Tory justice spokesperson Russell Findlay criticised the government’s approach, stating ‘Their relentless weakening of policing and prosecutions only emboldens the parasitical drugs gangs.’

 Key law enforcement achievements were highlighted, including major operations that led to arrests and the seizure of drugs, such as operation Venetic, one of the most significant operations in tackling serious organised crime. Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell emphasised the importance of international cooperation ahead of the Interpol General Assembly in Glasgow.