Edinburgh crime: Four members of gang who flooded streets of Edinburgh and the Lothians with cocaine jailed

Four members of a gang responsible for flooding the streets of Edinburgh and the Lothians with cocaine have been jailed for a combined 18 years.

Dale Cleeton, 31, was jailed for seven years, Calvin Begbie, 30, for six years, Fraser Boyd, 51, for three years and Mitchell Whyte, 24, for 32 months. Cleeton and Begbie were also given Serious Crime Prevention Orders for three years.

After pleading guilty, they were convicted on Friday, May 3, 2024 at the High Court in Glasgow and were sentenced there today, Friday, June 7.

Detective Inspector Mark McCullagh, senior investigating officer for the case, said: “These men and their organised crime group were a significant factor in the trade of illegal drugs in Edinburgh and The Lothians.

“They caused nothing but harm in pursuit of their own gain. Their activities were uncovered by an intelligence-led operation by specialist officers working in Edinburgh. Disrupting the activities of organised crime groups and making the country an extremely hostile environment for them to operate is one of Police Scotland’s top priorities.

“There is no place for serious organised criminality in our society and, working in partnership with the local communities we serve, law enforcement agencies and the members of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, we will continue our fight against those involved in serious and organised crime to keep our communities safe.”

Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said:  “Three of these individuals were responsible for the supply of cocaine on a wholesale scale in the Edinburgh and Lothian areas while the fourth allowed the drugs to be stored in his home.   

“They are now serving lengthy prison sentences thanks to the work of prosecutors and an extensive police operation to tackle and disrupt serious organised crime.   

“I hope that these convictions and the sentences send a strong message to others involved in this kind of criminal behaviour. 

“They demonstrate the ability of police and prosecutors to investigate, prepare and prosecute serious and organised crime cases of this nature.   

“We are targeting those people who threaten communities across Scotland, not only drug couriers but also those who direct their movements.   

“The Crown will continue working with the police and other agencies as a member of Scotland’s Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to ensure that these crimes are detected and those responsible prosecuted using all measures at our disposal.”