Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, has warned recent seizures at Cairnryan must not be ignored by the Scottish Government.
And the Scottish Conservative MSP believes there needs to be stronger cross-border cooperation between Police Scotland and its Irish counterparts.
He said: “These shocking seizures at Cairnryan must serve as a wake-up call for the Scottish Government.
“Scotland already has the shameful title of the drugs death capital of Europe, and the 11 suspected drug deaths recorded in Galloway and West Dumfries in recent months show the devastating toll his crisis is continuing to take on local communities and families.”
Mr Carson, recently re-elected for a third time, insists the Scottish Government must quickly act to resolve this crisis.
He explained: “The SNP Government must work far more closely with the UK, Northern Irish and Irish authorities to strengthen cross-border cooperation and ensure Police Scotland has the resources needed to crack down on organised crime gangs exploiting this route.
“Scottish Conservatives have consistently argued for a stronger recovery-focused approach through our Right to Recovery Bill, because we need to break the cycle of addiction instead of simply managing its consequences.”
Police Scotland has confirmed there have been 42 drug recoveries at Cairnryan Port between 2021 and April 2026, mainly cannabis and cocaine.
In one haul 39 kilogrammes of cannabis was found with a street value of more than £170,000.
Drug-related deaths in Dumfries and Galloway spiked recently when fatalities doubled to 24 local people in 2024, bucking the downward national trend.
The west of the region, specifically Stranraer and Wigtownshire has been heavily impacted by highly potent synthetic substances, with at least 12 suspected deaths recorded earlier this year.
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