Eighteen people have been arrested in a major cross-border crackdown on a gang allegedly trafficking drugs from Merseyside to the Highlands.
Officers from Police Scotland led the operation to target the group from north west England.
Working alongside officers from Merseyside Police, they executed a number of search warrants in Liverpool, Inverness and Aviemore.
Twelve people in the Merseyside area and six in the Highlands were arrested for allegedly being involved in the supply of heroin.
Officers said “significant quantities” of the class A drug were seized during the investigation. Large sums of money, suspected to be proceeds of money-laundering, have also been identified.
The operation focused on the supply of heroin from Liverpool into the Highlands, with the proceeds returning to the Merseyside area, police said.
Detective Inspector Peter Mackenzie said: “This operation is yet another example of our commitment to tackle the supply of drugs to the Highlands and Islands and to target those involved in the supply chain.
“This puts out a message that whoever you are and wherever you are from, we will continue to pro-actively target those who are suspected of being involved in the supply of controlled drugs into the Highlands and to ensure it is a hostile place for criminals to operate in. Criminals do not adhere to borders and neither will Police Scotland and we will continue to be proactive in reducing the supply of heroin.”
Superintendent Ross MacKillop said disrupting the supply of controlled drugs remains a top priority in the Highlands.
He said: “The drug trade often exploits the most vulnerable members of society. We all have an obligation to help protect each other by reporting any suspicious or harmful behaviour that may be happening in local areas.”