A prominent member of a Scotland’s most serious crime gang used sophisticated counter surveillance techniques to avoid detection when delivering laundered money to associates, a court heard.

Gerard McTaggart, 47, was a member of an organisation which has been targeted for the past 10 years by Police Scotland’s Operation Escalade.

The initiative has resulted in a total of 42 people being convicted for serious offences including being involved in serious and organised crime, the supply and possession of drugs, firearms offences and money laundering.

Detectives have linked up with colleagues abroad to extradite eight fugitives connected to the group’s activities back to Scotland from Europe and South America.

Two other men, James and Barry Gillespie, remain at large and are still wanted by Police Scotland - but officers fear that the pair have “came to harm” abroad.

The High Court in Edinburgh was the scene of the latest Operation Escalade prosecution on Friday. Judge Lord Summers heard how elite Detectives became aware that McTaggart’s role in the gang was to ‘deliver’ wages to fellow members.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC told judge Lord Summers how officers learned about McTaggart and his work during May 2019 and October 2019. He was observed visiting premises associated with the gang.

Mr Prentice said: “McTaggart is a person of significant interest in the context of the Escalade organised crime group and was heavily involved in money laundering.

“During the period set out in the libel to which he has now tendered a plea of guilty, it appears that he performed a specific function, namely the delivery of wages to Escalade OCG nominals.

“Between May 17 2019 and October 9 2019, McTaggart was the subject of a directed surveillance authority.

“During the period in question he was documented as meeting with associates of the Escalade OCG or visiting premises connected to them on 21 separate occasions.

“McTaggart was frequently observed to be in possession of a weighted carrier bag or parcel type item.

“On nine separate occasions, he was seen to exchange or to drop off the item that he had in his possession.

“He used several different vehicles, met associates at various locations and employed counter surveillance tactics.”

The story emerged after McTaggart, of Tollcross, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime.

The charge also stated that McTaggart agreed with men named as Ellis Hardy, David Sell and “others” to do things which furthered the “commission of serious organised crime”.

The charge also stated that McTaggart took possession of quantities of cash which he knew came from illegality and that he delivered the money to others in “furtherance of serious organised crime”.

Sell, who was then aged 50, was jailed for 15 years and eight months in January 2018 for his role in the abduction and torture of Robert Allan.

The court heard how Mr Allan was blasted in the legs with a firearm in East Kilbride over an unpaid £30,000 cocaine debt and a huge arsenal of weapons found hidden in a car.

The court heard how Mr Allan became a target after he could not pay a drug debt. He had earlier met with Barry O’Neill in Glasgow in connection with a large cocaine haul.

Mr Allan later fled Scotland when he was unable to stump up payment – but was tracked to Barnsley, Yorkshire in March 2015.

Sell turned up at his door with two other armed men before Mr Allan was horrifically attacked.

He was initially driven hostage to an industrial unit in Fauldhouse, West Lothian. Sell acted as a “guard” in between the victim being brutally beaten.

This included him being whipped with a thick chain, smacked with a metal bar and left with a broken leg after he was battered with a 14-pound sledgehammer.

With other men now on the scene, the victim was ordered to strip and sprayed with a bleach.

The court heard Mr Allan stood “naked, wet and humiliated”.

A hooded Mr Allan was then taken to a rural spot in Stewartfield, East Kilbride. Sell was not present – but two of the other men hauled him from a car and pinned him down.

Mr Allan was then dragged to the top of a hill and ordered to roll down. As the attackers left, members of the public came to his aid.

Hardy was jailed in February 2022 for being a member of a gang which smuggled £10 million of cocaine into Scotland in a lorry which was transporting Belgian waffles.

On Friday, Mr Prentice told the court that despite the arrest and conviction of “numerous” members of the OCG, the group still continues to operate.

Mr Prentice added: “They are still assessed to be the main importers of controlled drugs into Scotland.”

Mr Prentice told the court that McTaggart was seen going into premises associated with the organisation.

He described McTaggart’s movements on June 3 2019.

He added: “Mr McTaggart entered Rab Haw’s takeaway shop in Helenvale Street, Glasgow, and remained there for approximately six minutes. The shop is owned by a partner of of a prominent Escalade OCG member.

“Later that morning McTaggart was observed entering Le Sorelle, a gift shop on Stonelaw Road, Burnside. When he entered the shop McTaggart was carrying a small pink bag.

“When he left the shop - only two minutes later - he was in possession of a different bag - a white gift bag.

“Le Sorelle is owned by the wife of another senior member of the Escalade OCG.

“The OCG member in question is one of those who tendered the plea of guilty in relation to serious and organised crime offences in the Escalade 2 case in 2017 which resulted in his being sentenced to a period of imprisonment.”

Mr Prentice told the court that McTaggart was seen walking into RPL Plumbing in Laidlaw Street, Glasgow and the Burgh Bar in Rutherglen during the time he was being observed by police officers.

The advocate depute said both businesses were owned by members of the group.

McTaggart was finally arrested on October 9 2019 when he went into RPL Plumbing at 12.15pm.

Mr Prentice added: “It was noted by police that he was in possession of a weighted Asda carrier bag. Once inside he informed sales assistants that he was there to see Simon.

“When he left he was approached by undercover police officers who arrested him in relation to his involvement in serious organised crime.

“The Asda bag was taken from him and police officers found it contained a total of £14,575 in cash.

“Following McTaggart’s arrest they recovered a number of items including a mobile pone which, when examined, yielded evidence of various links - contacts, images and a message thread between McTaggart and the organised crime group.

“Of note were various photographs which showed him in a social context in the company of high ranking organised crime group members.”

Defence advocate John Brannigan asked Lord Summers to grant bail to his client ahead of a sentencing hearing which is due to be heard later this year.

He said: “He instructs me that his wife is effectively disabled and is expecting to give birth in December this year.”

However, Lord Summers refused to grant the request for bail.

He added: “I’m not disposed to grant bail. My reasons for that are the serious nature of the charge to which to he has pleaded guilty, his use of anti-surveillance techniques to avoid detection and detention from the police and his previous convictions which include an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

“I’m not inclined to continue bail.”

McTaggart was then taken into custody. He will be sentenced at the High Court in Stirling on July 21 2023.

Prosecutors also plan to launch a proceeds of crime action against McTaggart. They are also seeking a serious crime prevention order - this would place limitations on McTaggart’s lifestyle which are designed to stop returning to organised crime when he is released from prison.

These hearings will be heard later this year.