James White: Gangster pleads guilty after being found hiding in Brazil

On Friday, James White pleaded guilty to offences including importing and supplying millions of pounds of controlled drugs, possessing firearms and explosives and money laundering at the High Court in Glasgow.

White, 45, will be sentenced at a later date.

The plea comes after White fled Scotland in an effort to “evade justice”.

In June 2020, he was arrested in Fortaleza, a city on Brazil’s north coast after a joint operation between Police Scotland and the Brazilian Federal Police. He was extradited back to Scotland in August 2022.

Officers had been working to catch white as part of “Operation Escalade”, the investigation into one of the country's top-tier and most prolific serious organised crime groups.

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Police said that, since its inception in 2014, the operation has seen more than 40 people convicted for being involved in serious organised crime.

Head of Organised Crime Detective Chief Superintendent Vicky Watson said: “Tackling serious organised crime remains a priority for Police Scotland. It has no place in society or our communities and underlines our commitment to working with the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to keep the public safe.

“James White thought he could evade justice by fleeing Scotland. However, the diligence of Police Scotland officers, working with partners in this country and abroad, meant that he was tracked down and extradited back to this country to face the consequences of his criminal actions.”

Watson went on: “The dedicated team of officers have been successfully targeting those involved in serious organised crime domestically and internationally for almost a decade.

“A number of the arrests made were only possible due to the support of international law enforcement agencies abroad. This co-operation remains ongoing and I am grateful for the assistance of our colleagues.”