A FORMER drug kingpin has offered a reward of £1000 to the first person to destroy a 5G mast in Scotland. 

Stephen Jamieson has been promoting a discredited conspiracy theory which claims 5G masts spread coronavirus on his Instagram account, the Daily Record has reported.

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The former gangster, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2009 for his part in a multi-million pound cocaine operation, posted on his social media offering £1000 to the first person in Scotland to torch a 5G mast. 

The 36-year-old, who reportedly now breeds dogs in Dubai claims the masts are linked to the spread of coronavirus - a claim which has gained traction on the internet, despite being disproven by experts.

The paper reports he posted pictures with captions saying: “I’ll pay 1k reward for any1 that smokes a 5G mast in Glesga.”

In another, he wrote: “1k lads for first 5G mast smoked in Scotland.”

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5G masts have been targeted in the UK because of an debunked online conspiracy theory which claims the transmitters spread coronavirus. 

There is no scientific evidence for this claim and the theory has been dismissed by experts. 

This has not stopped the theory gaining traction online and posters have been put up, spreading disinformation about the masts. 

Mobile UK, the trade body which represents network providers, said to the paper, it is “concerning that certain groups are using the Covid-19 pandemic to spread false rumours and theories about the safety of 5G technologies". 

A statement added: “More worryingly, some people are also abusing our key workers and making threats to damage ­infrastructure under the pretence of claims about 5G.

“The theories that are being spread about 5G on social media are baseless and are not grounded in accepted scientific theory.

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“Research into the safety of radio signals, including 5G, which has been conducted for more than 50 years, has led to the ­establishment of human exposure standards including safety factors that protect against all ­established health risks.”

Jamieson, from Paisley, was caged in 2009 alongside Brian McCulloch for a total of 18 between them for running a cocaine empire.

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