Ian Sweeney, 53, of Salsburgh, North Lanarkshire, charged thousands of pounds to provide equipment and advice on how to sweep properties and cars for listening devices.
He also provided information on adapting vehicles to install “hides” for secretly transporting drugs.
But his crimes were uncovered when police discovered the accused was using the handle “Bug-sweep” on the encrypted EncroChat messaging platform and was in contact with over 100 associates.
Sweeney was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow after he admitted being involved in serious organised crime and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs, including cocaine and cannabis between March and May 2020.
Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS, said:
“I hope that this conviction and the sentence send a strong message to others involved in this kind of criminal behaviour and demonstrates the ability of police and prosecutors to investigate, prepare and prosecute serious and organised crime of this nature.
“We will continue to work with our partners at the Scottish Crime Campus and as part of the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle serious organised crime. This kind of case highlights the extensive work that has been ongoing against these groups.”
The court heard how police linked Sweeney’s EncroChat handle to multiple conversations with members of organised crime groups, who were also using encrypted names.
In some discussions, he claimed that, although he was based in Scotland, he travelled all over the UK providing recommendations on anti-surveillance.
The court was told that he charged £300 to sweep a car for bugs, a house required a fee of £1200 and the bill for checking a business property was £1500.
Sweeney was formerly a director of a private investigation firm which was dissolved in 2018.