DECRIMINALISE COCAINE TO STOP CRIMINAL GANGS

Cops can't win war on drugs, says crooks' confidant | But ex-top cop claims move will not tackle issue

- BY NORMAN SILVESTER

A FORMER gangland lawyer says decriminalising cocaine is the only way to make the multi-billion-pound trade in Scotland less attractive to crime gangs.

James McIntyre believes such a move would free up police resources to tackle what he sees as more serious offences such as cyber crime and high-value online scams, often targeted at the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

In an exclusive interview with Criminal Record - our weekly podcast - the 68-year-old said: "If you think you are going to solve the drug problem in the way that America tried with the prohibition of alcohol in the 20s and 30s then you are sadly mistaken.

"You need to decriminalise it.

"At the moment all you are doing is depriving the public of something they actually want."

During a 30-year career, McIntyre was lawyer and trusted confidant to some of Scotland's most high-profile underworld figures.

He has been described as a real-life Tom Hagen, the fictional "consigliere" or adviser to the Corleone mafia family in The Godfather book and movies.