Police seized nearly £2 million in cash and assets from organised crime gangs in the last year.

And 257 people were arrested between April and February, including 11 suspected ringleaders.

Chief Inspector Brian McInulty revealed that statistics as he told East Renfrewshire’s councillors that police detected 3.7 per cent more drug cultivations, suppliers and producers in the area last year.

And he warned dealers that officers now have the ability to take personal property and freeze bank accounts if unlawful conduct is suspected.

The top cop said: “Drug dealing and misuse at a local level results from organised crime groups supplying those drugs to smaller dealers within local communities.

“There have been significant seizures of controlled drugs and numerous cannabis cultivations disrupted with several significant arrests being made.

“Tackling serious and organised crime remains one of our key priorities.

“In terms of serious and organised crime, up until the end of February 2018, 257 individuals of note were arrested, 11 of whom were principle nominals (ringleaders).

“Officers have continued to focus on these individuals and have exploited the Proceeds of Crime Act to deprive them of cash and assets obtained illegally.

“So far this year we have seized in the region of £1,841,047 in cash and assets.”

Mr McInulty said campus officers were being used to help raise awareness of organised crime, with talks on drug misuse and abuse in schools.

And he confirmed that intelligence is being gathered and used to disrupt criminal gangs in the area.

He added: “This year, proceeds of crime powers have been bolstered by the Criminal Finances Act 2017 and the introduction of Unexplained Wealth Orders which will enable authorities to seize more assets when offenders are unable to explain how they can legitimately afford them.

“There are also new powers to forfeit personal property, for example, jewellery, betting slips, casino chips and to freeze bank and building society accounts, where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that money held there is either the proceeds of crime of for use in unlawful conduct.

“In the last quarter, Greater Glasgow SAOC and Intelligence commenced a number of intelligence-led operations, impacting on and disrupting organised criminality across Glasgow and further afield.”

In his report, to the council’s cabinet, Mr McInulty revealed that robbery was up by 87.5 per cent while disorder and vandalism complaints both rose by a fifth. Sexual crimes also increased by 9.1 per cent.

The number of serious assaults almost halved, while complaints about alcohol consumption dropped by 14 per cent.