Hundreds of drug dealers walking free due to SNP incompetence, Sarwar says

John Swinney has been told his Government’s “incompetence” has led to hundreds of suspected drug dealers evading justice.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused the First Minister of giving dealers the “green light” by letting them walk free at a time when Scotland continues to have the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe.

Figures reported in the 1919 magazine showed 573 charges relating to drug supply between 2022 and 2025 were dropped by prosecutors because statutory time-bar limits had been reached.

Mr Sarwar said there was “no justification” for dealers to go free as he accused the Government of having “lost control” of the drugs crisis.

Mr Sarwar said: “Shamefully, new figures show that 573 charges for drug dealing had to be dropped in the last three years because the cases were time-barred before reaching court.

“Hundreds of those accused of drug dealing simply walking free, evading justice, not because they were found innocent, but because of this Government’s incompetence.

“People selling poison to their communities given the green light to destroy lives because John Swinney and his tired Government cannot run a court system that sends drug dealers to prison.”

The Scottish Labour leader said Mr Swinney’s approach to tackling drug deaths is “failing both victims and communities”.

He added: “Dealers slipping through the cracks, people dying waiting for help, and families losing loved ones and left without hope.

“Six years since they declared an emergency and still Scotland leads Europe in drug deaths.

“John Swinney has abandoned both justice and recovery.”

The First Minister said “significant” work has been undertaken to tackle backlogs in the court system caused by the pandemic.

He said it also came at a time when prisons were “incredibly congested in many cases by individuals who have been convicted and sentenced for a long period of time as a consequence of their drug-taking activities”.

He added: “I know that the Crown and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service are working incredibly hard in an incredibly focused way to make sure that those who are the perpetrators of illegal drug activity in our society are brought to justice and many of them are.”

Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government is taking a “focused approach” to address Scotland’s high drug deaths, including expanding rehab placements, creating the UK’s first safer drugs consumption room and the rollout of naloxone.

He went on: “On the issue of the criminal justice system, our prison system is absolutely full of individuals, many of whom have been imprisoned because of their drug-related activity.

“So it is quite simply wrong for Mr Sarwar to suggest that people are not being brought to justice because of their criminal activity and that will remain the focused priority of the Scottish Government.”

Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Christopher Stewart said: “We are committed to conducting a professional and thorough investigation into all reported crimes and reporting individuals to the procurator fiscal in a timely manner, should evidence indicate that a crime has been committed.

“Officers recognise the time limits in place to report such matters and work diligently to adhere to these, with only a very small proportion ever being reported outwith the required window.

“We continue to work closely with Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service partners to ensure standards are maintained and improved as necessary.”

A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: “Prosecutors recognise that there were delays affecting forensic analysis involving drug offences in and around 2022.

“COPFS will continue to work with and provide feedback to Police Scotland on charges which are reported late by police or time-barred on receipt.

“The number of cases which we receive which are time-barred on receipt form a small proportion of those reported to us.”