HOW THE NEWS REVEALED DRUG GANGS FEUD THREE MONTHS AGO

Three months ago the Evening News revealed the escalating level of
violence between drugs gangs in the area which led to five shootings
in as many weeks.

Police said there was a "strong possibility" that shots fired at a
private hire cab in Granton and a shooting outside the Gauntlet pub
in Broomhouse a few days later were linked.

Sources said criminals from the north of the Capital have found them
selves locked in battle for almost a year with a hardened gang of
young dealers from Gilmerton and the Inch.

It was even claimed that one gang in the area had managed to obtain a
machine gun and that a rival gang had managed to obtain a Mac 10, an
automatic weapon.

Gangs were said to have become embroiled in a string of "tit-for-tat"
shootings, including the attacks at the Gauntlet and on the cab.

Other incidents involving the gangs since mid-August are said to
include:

Two gunmen on a motorbike who fired shots from a semi-automatic
pistol at a man from Broomhouse while he sat in his van.

A gang member shot in the face in Drylaw who was left with four
shotgun pellets lodged in his skull.

An alleged heroin dealer from Craigmillar who had his front window
shot at by the motorbike gunmen.

A criminal source told the Evening News at the time: "This is a feud
which has got out of control."

Police admitted they were investigating the possibility the series of
incidents were both gang and drugs related.