At the High Court in Glasgow yesterday (31 August), John McHugh, 54, Joseph Boland, also 54, Martin Gray, 41, and Garry Ralph, 38, were sentenced to prison having previously pleaded guilty to the supply of cannabis resin.

The men were arrested last year as part of an intelligence-led investigation by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), codenamed Quartz, which seized more than one tonne of resin with an estimated street value of nearly £3m.

Police witnessed drugs being delivered in a van to a business premises on Scotts Road in Paisley in July 2009, which at the time was being operated as The Print Finishers. McHugh and Boland were seen unloading the drugs from the van and subsequent enquiries revealed that the vehicle was associated with a company operated by McHugh.

Detective chief superintendent Allan Moffatt, head of SCDEA, said: "These men intended to supply significant amounts of cannabis to our communities, where cannabis remains to be the most widely misused controlled drug.

"Those involved in serious organised crime do not care about the impact on our communities caused by the fear and violence associated with the illegal drugs trade, or the health and social impact of drugs misuse."

A judge at the High Court ruled that McHugh, from Busby, must serve five years and three months, while Boland, also from Busby, will serve three years and seven months, Gray, of Ardrossan, will serve three years and three months and Ralph, from Glasgow, will serve three years and seven months.