Alleged gangsters spend New Year behind bars over drug dealing and serious organised crime claims

Two alleged gangsters accused of drug dealing and organised crime offences had a Hogmanay with a difference.

While Scots across the country were preparing to celebrate the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, David Stephen and Shaun Brown had a court date.

The case against the pair, who are both aged 30, called at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday, December 31, 2025.

They were arrested last week, following a probe into the Encrochat phone network, and remanded in custody when they first appeared in court.

And they were remanded in custody again during yesterday's hearings, which both took place in private.

They made no plea during the hearings and no future court dates have yet been set for either accused.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said that Stephen and Brown both face five charges.

The pair, of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, face two charges of involvement in serious organised crime and three of drug dealing.

At his first hearing, on Christmas Eve, Stephen faced two dealing charges and two serious organised crime raps.

At Brown's first hearing, he faced one serious organised crime charge and two drug dealing raps.

The drug dealing charges they face were brought under Section 4(3)((B) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The serious organised crime charges are alleged breaches of Section 28(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 and Section 30(1)(B) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Police Scotland said they had been arrested in Cambuslang, on the outskirts of Glasgow, by officers from the force’s Organised Crime and Counter Terrorist Unit.

The force said they were detained as part of a large-scale operation targeting those involved in serious and organised crime and drug supply.

Their arrests came as part of Operation Venetic, the European-wide operation aimed at dismantling crime syndicates using encrypted mobile phones.

Detective Superintendent Steven Elliott said at the time: “Today's arrests are a further outcome of the interrogation of EncroChat data by officers dedicated to identifying and disrupting organised crime groups operating in Scotland.

“Analysis of this data remains a priority, with advances in policing enabling us to continue progressing our enquiries. 

“Working with partners we are now and will continue to be in a position to make further arrests.

“Our team continue to investigate and we will identify further individuals who used the EncroChat network and report their actions to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

“This work is a priority to tackle serious and organised crime as part of the wider approach through the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce.”