Vape shops were among dozens of high street businesses visited by enforcement agencies during a nationwide operation targeting organised immigration crime and labour exploitation across Scotland.
Police Scotland, working alongside Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs, carried out visits to 40 businesses between 15 and 20 June as part of Operation Lockstream, an intelligence-led initiative coordinated by the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce.
The operation focused on businesses believed to be linked to organised immigration crime, including restaurants, nail bars, car washes, barbers and vape shops.
During the week of action, officers engaged with 109 people and identified 10 irregular migrants. A total of 43 business compliance checks were completed, while Trading Standards found four premises operating without the required licence to sell alcohol or tobacco.
Detective Superintendent Stevie Betram of Police Scotland said organised crime groups exploit vulnerable people by facilitating illegal entry into the UK, exposing them to dangerous journeys and poor living and working conditions.
"Our priority is to protect those at risk, identify the networks and individuals involved and to ensure offenders are brought to justice," he said.
Betram added that organised immigration crime is often linked to other serious offences, including human trafficking, modern slavery, county lines drug trafficking and sexual exploitation.
"The week of activity saw law enforcement partners undertaking a period of intensive action to disrupt this type of criminality and making Scotland a hostile environment for those who exploit vulnerable people in our communities," he said.
He said the initiative demonstrated the commitment of agencies working through Scotland's Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle organised crime and protect communities.
The Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce is a UK-wide law enforcement partnership that brings together agencies to disrupt organised immigration crime networks and safeguard people vulnerable to exploitation.