Cops seize £11million of Glasgow gangsters' dirty cash

POLICE seized more than £11million from Glasgow criminals in the last year under dirty money laws.

Chief Superintendent Andy Bates is the local police commander for the Greater Glasgow division

Prosecutors used the tough Proceeds of Crime Act - POCA - to seize the huge sum of cash and cripple gangsters financially.

New figures obtained by the Evening Times show Police Scotland delivered a series of blows to the city's underworld in the past year.

Detectives in a dedicated crime squad launched a major assault on organised crime when the single police force was set up last year.

Police have arrested almost 540 Glasgow gangsters since April - smashing scores of crime gangs. The initiative also prevented firms with criminal links from getting £8.1m in business.

Officers have targeted gang-linked criminals for a range of offences, from serious violence and drug dealing to money laundering.

Chief Superintendent Andy Bates, warned: "It's all about hurting those involved in serious and organised crime.

"Police need to be seen by the local community to be acting - putting doors in and arresting these people.

"We are targeting those involved in serious and organised crime with hard-edged policing.

"We are committed to tracking these individuals down and arresting them."

In just one month last year, in the course of Operation Myriad, officers recovered £310,897 under POCA.

Read More