Operation Lockdown foursome’s faces used in crime

Jan 20 2010 by Lynn Jolly, Paisley Daily Express

MUGSHOTS of three Paisley criminals and their mate who formed a drugs gang that brought potentially deadly cocaine to the streets of Paisley are being used in a crime crackdown.

Strathclyde Police met with young people yesterday to crank up the fight against serious and organised crime.

And the faces of the Paisley trio Brian McCulloch, Stephen Jamieson and Steven Caddis and Cardonald man Gary Caddis – who were jailed for a total of 29 years in October last year – have been plastered across an advertising trailer to warn youngsters off a life of crime.

McCulloch and Jamieson, who were both known to be a “Mr Big” in the town’s drugs scene, were jailed for 10 years and eight years respectively for their part in a multi-million pound cocaine operation.

Their trusted lieutenant Caddis was sentenced to six years and courier Gary Caddis was ordered to spend five years and three months behind bars.

Serious and Organised Crime is often glamorised in the movies but the truth is it’s a dark and violent underworld, and this is one of the crucial messages police and Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill want to hammer home to kids.

Assistant Chief Constable (Crime) George Hamilton said: “Recently, four major criminals were sentenced to a total of 29 years in prison. We want young people to know the harm and misery caused by career criminals and help them choose the right path to a fulfilling life rather than the dark criminal back alley.

“We also want them to realise that they can help us tackle the criminals. They are the eyes and ears of their communities and we can act on this information to bring the criminals to justice.”

McCulloch, 39; Jamieson, 26; Steven Caddis, 30; and his 28-year-old brother Gary, were all snared as part of the £2.7 million police sting, codenamed Operation Lockdown.

The 18-month-long operation led to a total of 146 people being arrested and millions of pounds worth of drugs being seized.

Officers also seized a frightening arsenal of weapons, including machine guns, sawn-off shotguns and rifles, as well as 3,400 rounds of ammunition.

Mr Hamilton added: “Buying a counterfeit DVD may seem harmless enough but you can bet that it's been produced as part of a wider criminal network that's involved in crimes like prostitution, human trafficking, fraud, embezzlement and violence.

“There are real victims – the woman who's forced into prostitution by the low level dealer who got her hooked in the first place, the impoverished person who thought they were buying their way to a better life in a new country only to find themselves forced to tend plants in a cannabis factory or the hard working businessman who's conned out of his savings in a scam.”

Cops are devoted to hitting criminals where it hurts – in the pocket – and also dismantling their organisations.

Mr MacAskill said the aim is to:

l Divert individuals from engaging in or using the products of serious and organised crime

l Disrupt the activities of criminal gangs

l Deter businesses and the public sector from serious and organised crime and

l Detect, by boosting capacity and improving co-ordination to give criminals no place to hide.

He said: “Serious organised crime hurts our country in terms of public safety, the economy and jobs. We need a co-ordinated approach to ensure that decent people stand up against it on the streets, within our communities, in civic society and in the wider economy.”