The new agency boss has set a �20m target for criminal assets

The new director of the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency (SDEA), Graeme Pearson, said it is very important to target the profits of drug gangs.

Each year since it was created in 2000, the agency has surpassed targets set for seizures of illegal drugs.

It has also made major in-roads in the arrest of drug dealers.

Mr Pearson, who has just taken up his post after being appointed to take over from Jim Orr, said it was time for a "new approach" based on "following the money earned" by drug dealers.

His plan is to set up a task force involving the SDEA, HM Customs and Excise and the National Criminal Intelligence Service to carry out operations against organised crime.

Mr Pearson said: "What we have come to understand is that we can arrest people and get kilos of drugs. But the people we arrest are the couriers, the third division of organised crime.

Graeme Pearson has a new approach

"The new approach is built on the introduction of the proceeds of crime.

"We are going to chase the profits of crime and we are going to chase the power that lies behind that profit so the seizure of assets is central to all we will do in the coming years.

Peter McGee, head of customs investigations in Scotland, welcomed the new approach.

He explained that while seizures were still vital, drugs are on the streets for a relatively short time.

What does remain is the profit which is generated from the selling of drugs - the criminals commit their crimes and accumulate wealth and it remains there for a period of time.

In July last year, a government inspector recommended that the agency should be given more powers and support.

Sir Roy Cameron inspected the SDEA on behalf of the UK Government and said it had performed remarkably well but needed further development.