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An East Kilbride thug was part of a nine-strong crime clan described as “the most sophisticated” ever encountered in Scotland.

David Sell, 50, is facing a lengthy jail term after he admitted to being involved in abducting and assaulting drug dealer Robert Allan to his permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as to the danger of his life.

Allan was restrained with cable ties, chains and padlocks at a house in Barnsley, South Yorkshire in March 2015 after Sell turned up with two other men and pointed a handgun at him.

The victim was bundled into a van and driven more than 200 miles to an industrial estate in Fauldhouse, West Lothian.

He was brutally assaulted and tortured and left with a broken leg and fractured cheekbone before being ordered to strip and sprayed with bleach.

Sell was not present as Allan was transported to East Kilbride and dumped in Stewartfield.

Two men pulled Allan from the car and pinned him down before he was shot twice in one knee and once in the other.

He was dragged to the top of a hill and ordered to roll down it. As the attackers fled, members of the public rushed to Allan’s aid.

Sell was linked to the crime when it emerged he had made “special admissions” to a then partner.

He stood in the dock this week at the High Court in Glasgow alongside eight others with all pleading guilty to various charges as prosecutors revealed the full extent of the mob’s dealings in drugs, firearms, violence and dirty money.

The list of crimes included the horrific abduction and torture of Allan over an unpaid cocaine debt.

There was also a shooting at the family home of a gangland figure as well as a massive arsenal of weapons found hidden in a car.

The group were caught as a result of four major investigations into serious and organised crime.

Links to the probes emerged after a large consignment of firearms were found during one operation.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said: “The organised crime group is the most sophisticated encountered by Police Scotland.

“Their operation centres on the importation of vast quantities of cocaine.

“The firepower at the disposal of this crime group is unprecedented in terms of the history of organised crime in Scotland.”

“Their role is as wholesalers to other organised crime groups. They are at the top of the chain in terms of drugs transactions in Scotland and the UK as a whole.”

The court also heard the crew were also involved in “firearm trafficking” to “violently enforce their own operation.”

Premises across Scotland were raided during the police operation.

Judge Lord Beckett remanded all nine in custody and deferred sentencing until next month.

Detective Chief Superintendent Gerry McLean, head of organised crime and counter terrorism, said: “The nine men who pled guilty were involved in the most serious criminal activity, including firearms, drug dealing and extreme violence.

“They were responsible for bringing fear and misery to communities across Scotland and we welcome the fact that they have been brought

to justice and admitted their involvement in the face of a wealth of evidence.

“Serious organised crime has no place in society and I want to reassure people in all our communities that Police Scotland will continue to disrupt anyone involved in this type of activity on a daily basis, shutting down their illegal businesses and locking up those responsible.”