Issued: 16 May 2008
NORTHERN Constabulary today welcomed the sentence handed out to a Ross-shire man who was involved in the supply of Heroin in the Ross-shire and Inverness areas.
Today, at the High Court in Edinburgh, Peter James Lawlor (28), formally of North Kessock was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
Lawlor had previously pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of Heroin and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Detective Inspector Gus MacPherson, stationed at Dingwall, said "There is no doubt that Peter Lawlor played a significant part in the supply of Heroin in the Ross-shire and Inverness areas."
Police seized Heroin with a potential street value of £100,000 during a search of Lawlor's previous home address in North Kessock on the 28 November 2007. During this search they also seized a firearm and ammunition, which were later identified as having been stolen during a house breaking in the North Kessock area about a year earlier.
Detective Inspector MacPherson continued: "Whilst this operation, which involved officers from Ross-shire, Inverness and Headquarters units, was a major success in terms of the amount of Heroin seized, I was also extremely pleased and relieved to recover the stolen firearm."
Superintendant John Darcy, Central Divisional Commander, based at Dingwall, said: "Whilst this is a significant seizure, and there have been many successful seizures in the recent past in the Ross and Cromarty area, we readily acknowledge that despite such seizures there are still significant quantities of Heroin and other controlled drugs available on the streets of our communities.
"That is why we have taken an even more pro-active stance in combating these individuals and groups but as ever this will only be successful with the continued help of the local community.
"What is extremely disturbing in this and other cases in the recent past in the Area Command and Force area is the involvement of weapons including guns and the fact that the Area, in no doubt partially influenced by the economic success of the city of Inverness, is targeted by individual and organised crime elements from the Central belt and various cities in the UK."
He added: "It is however pleasing to note the significant arrests that have been made both here and across the Force area over a sustained period of time which along with excellent uniformed community policing has resulted in a notable decrease in serious and violent crimes reported to and recorded by us.
"It is also important to further stress that the vast majority of young adults do not abuse controlled drugs and with the combined strategy that we take forward of enforcement, education and rehabilitation, with our partners, we can not only hold this line but successfully reduce the availability and use of such drugs."