£500k drugs scheme unravelled as police crack encrypted calls bringing down Inverness gangland boss
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An Inverness gangland boss who hid drugs valued at thousands of pounds in secret woodland “stash sites” was foiled by police.
Ryan Ferguson's illicit scheme unravelled when police intercepted mobile phone conversations on an encrypted EncroChat device during surveillance operations.
The 30-year-old from Inverness – who called himself Titanium Otter – was jailed for five years and eight months today.
Judge Lord Clark sentenced him at the High Court in Glasgow after he admitted supplying cocaine, cannabis and benzocaine.
Ferguson returned to crime shortly after being freed from jail.
In cracked encrypted messages, he called himself Titanium Otter as he directed the illegal operation including organising drug "stash sites" in local woods.
Ferguson got one gang member – an ex-amateur footballer – to try and buy a drone because he was suspicious that police were tracking them.
Ferguson was eventually held in June 2022 shortly after he landed from a holiday in Thailand.
Ferguson – defended by lawyer Graeme Brown – was also hit with a fresh serious crime prevention order, designed to tackle and monitor criminals when back on the streets.
The High Court in Glasgow earlier heard he had previously been jailed twice for drug trafficking and money laundering offences.
Ferguson was freed from his last sentence in 2019.
But, prosecutors stated from June 13 that year he was back to his old ways.
It emerged he was part of crime mob who had forged links with gangsters based in Glasgow and the north east of England.
Prosecutor Paul Kearney KC said: "He is assessed to be the head of the organised crime group.
"This involved arranging deliveries of controlled drugs, the movement of large sums of cash and creating 'stash sites' within different wooded areas of the Highlands.
"He played a leading organisational role in sourcing, purchase and onward supply of kilo and multi-kilo quantities of cocaine."
The court heard of his contact with numerous associates involving the discussion of drugs and dirty money.
Ferguson had been a hit with a serious crime prevention order in 2019. This included him only been allowed access to one mobile.
But, the court heard he went on to use at least 29 phone numbers and other devices.
This allowed him to run the trafficking operation and initially avoid detection.
Contact with associates was often via the once top secret EncroChat encrypted phone network used by criminals before it was cracked by the authorities.
The hearing was told of a number of seizures police made during the probe.
In June 2020, a total of £142,098 of high purity cocaine was found hidden under moss in Glen Glass woods in the Highlands.
A further £350,000 of the drug was discovered after two men linked to Ferguson were stopped in separate raids.
Around the summer of 2021, Ferguson was captured on hidden cameras on a motorcross bike appearing to make a drug pick-up from a 'stash site' near Alness.
Prior to that, Ferguson had arranged with Alasdair Finlayson to buy a drone advertised online.
Mr Kearney said: "During that conversation, both mention the police will go 'mad'.
"It can be inferred that Ferguson was aware of the police surveillance in the expansive woods and that a drone camera would assist him and others."
But, Finlayson ended up being arrested. The 26 year-old and others were jailed last month after admitting involvement in the drug operation.
Ferguson was arrested at Glasgow Airport on June 8 last year as he returned from holiday with his partner.
The charge he pled guilty to spanned between June 13, 2019 and September 17, 2021.
Laura Buchan, Procurator Fiscal for specialist casework, welcomed the sentence and said it sent out a strong deterrent against those who blight communities in Scotland through drugs trafficking.
She said: “This was a co-ordinated effort to bring significant quantities of illegal and harmful drugs to the north of Scotland. Ryan Ferguson is now serving a prison sentence as a result of an extensive police operation, with oversight from COPFS [Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service], to investigate a network of drug supply.
“We target all who threaten communities across Scotland, from drug couriers to those who direct their movements. With each case of this kind, we reduce the harm drugs have on communities.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Houston, of Police Scotland, said: “Ferguson was identified as the leading figure in the supply chain bringing drugs into the Highlands.
“He was arrested following an extensive investigation into his activities and we welcome his conviction and sentencing.
“Police Scotland will not allow criminals and organised crime groups to profit from other people’s misery anywhere in the country. This case is a good example of how we utilise our resources along with the expertise of partner agencies to disrupt this kind of activity.
“We are committed, along with our partners involved in the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, to detecting and disrupting the activities of serious and organised criminals. We aim to make Scotland a hostile and uncomfortable environment for anyone involved in this activity and prevent them from preying on our communities by bringing them to justice.
“Anyone who has information or concerns about the sale and supply of drugs in their community is urged to contact Police Scotland via 101. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
