TWO men have been jailed for a total of ten years after admitting being involved in organised crime, including drugs and extortion.
John McCarthy, 38, and Peter Cameron, 31, made the lives of other people in West Lothian a ‘misery’, police said.
They were given six years and four years respectively at the High Court in Edinburgh, having pled guilty to drugs and extortion charges.
Both men will also spend a further three years on licence when released from prison.
Between June 2010 and September 2011, McCarthy and Cameron were involved in cocaine, intimidating residents across West Lothian and extorting money from their victims.
The men were arrested after a Lothian and Borders Police investigation.
Speaking after sentencing toda, Detective Chief Inspector Phil Gachagan said: “Both John McCarthy and Peter Cameron contributed to making the lives of others in West Lothian a misery.
“By using fear and intimidation, they were able to obtain thousands of pounds in cash from their terrified victims and were also involved in the distribution of Class A drugs into our communities.
“McCarthy and Cameron’s guilty pleas demonstrate the substantial evidence against them and the sentences they received reflect the shared views of the police and Crown Office in dealing with offences of this nature.
“I would also like to pay tribute to the victims in this case and members of the public who came forward and assisted the police in bringing McCarthy and Cameron to justice.
“Lothian and Borders Police are committed to tackling serious and organised crime in West Lothian and across the Force area. We will continue to work alongside partner agencies and the communities we serve to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.
“Intelligence plays a vital role in detecting crime and anyone with information about ongoing criminal activity in their area should contact their local policing team.”
