Organised crime gang jailed over £4m cocaine and dirty money ring

Five men have been jailed after police busted a £4m cocaine and dirty money ring in Glasgow.

Ian McIntyre, 31, Kieran Doherty, 30, Calum McKelvie, 30, Jack Sanderson, 34, and Martin Tracey, 31, all admitted being involved in serious organised crime in 2023 and 2024.

During the investigation, detectives uncovered a drugs lab set up in a bedroom of a flat in Lambhill, in the north of the city.

Judge Lord Arthurson told the gang that he would not differentiate between them as he handed down four-and-a-half year sentences.

He told them: "You were all plainly involved in this for the money for financial gain.

"You ran the same risk of detection for which you will all pay the appropriate price."

The judge said the trafficking was "substantial" over a sustained period and the sums of cash and drugs recovered were in the millions.

He added: "This was not a victimless crime - it was far from it."

The arrests were among a number during a major investigation into the crime gang.

Prosecutor Derick Nelson told the High Court in Glasgow: "The indictment is one of several emanating from a large scale covert police operation which was carried out and focussed on a group of individuals who appear to be linked.

"The group were to be involved in the large scale supply of illicit drugs and laundering of cash collected.

"Evidence of the supply included the discovery of what is described by police as a 'drugs factory'."

The safe house, which was the then home of Doherty in Gartcosh, Lanarkshire, was used to store large amounts of cash.

McIntyre was seen to attend regularly often carrying a weighted bag to and from the property.

Nelson added: "Surveillance showed him either receiving bags or delivering them to others, who were later found in possession of large amounts of cash.

"Along with a network of others, McKelvie, Sanderson and Tracey operated as couriers."

The court was then told of a series of the gang's illicit activities.

In early May and June 2023, there were separate dirty cash handovers of £100,000, £67,020 and £51,110.

McIntyre went on to meet a criminal associate at a cafe in Glasgow's west end.

"They were heard by police to be describing 'not doubling the money, but trebling it'," said Nelson.

Detectives got information that a large sum of cash had been passed to the driver of a silver Vauxhall Corsa, who was on the M74 southbound on 8 March 2024.

The car was stopped and a total of £199,530 was found inside.

The man told police he had been told to take the cash to a phone shop in Manchester and was to be paid £950.

Other seizures included £207,270 being found taped-up in bags in the boot of a car stopped near Longforgan, Perth and Kinross, another £101,000 at a flat in Glasgow's Whiteinch, as well as a man being caught with £51,000 of ill-gotten gains after a stop-off at a city centre hotel.

In connection with drugs, police discovered 15 blocks of cocaine with a potential value of £1.5m after a car was stopped near Dundee in September 2023.

"Each package had a handwritten image of a smiling face and the letter 'M' marked on it," said Nelson.

Another £290,000 class A consignment was discovered in a car which had a secret compartment fitted to hide illicit goods.

Police swooped at the flat where the drugs factory had been set up in May 2024.

The court heard officers immediately detected a "strong smell of chemicals".

Nelson said: "On entering a bedroom, officers discovered three males wearing gloves and industrial respirators.

"The floor was covered by a blue tarpaulin, the windows had been blacked out and were lying ajar.

"In open view were blocks of white powder, a microwave, an oven and a hydraulic press. Operating throughout were large industrial fans."

Sanderson and Tracey were two of the men found at the lab.

The advocate depute stated the bedroom had been "set up as a factory for processing cocaine".

This involved the use of a chemical for "washing" the powder and other equipment.

Various hauls of the drug were found in the flat - some with a purity of 80%. The cocaine found there had a potential value of £1.47m.

Raids took place at 13 different addresses linked to the gang on 29 November 2024 in what was described as a "day of action" for investigating officers.

John Scullion KC, defending McIntyre, of Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, told the court that his client had been a promising footballer before he was involved in a crash.

He then became a personal trainer.

Scullion added: "Over the passage of time, he regrets this offence and he feels shame for that involvement due to the impact on the community, his partner, and daughter."

Paul Nelson KC, defending Doherty, of Parkhead, Glasgow, said: "He has expressed remorse. He realises that it is he and not anyone else that made these decisions."

Mark Mohammed, defending McKelvie, of Barrhead, Renfrewshire, said: "He acted as a courier on the direction of another. He played a limited role in these matters."

Tony Graham KC, defending Sanderson, of Renfrew, said: "He had an active role but there is nothing to suggest he was a principal profiteer.

"He saw the lure to involve himself in this. He says this episode is extremely unfortunate for him and his family. He intends to move on."