Police probe shocking footage of Hibs v Rangers security guard snorting white powder
The Record shared shocking footage of the steward sniffing a line of what appears to be drugs during the Scottish Premiership clash on Wednesday.
Police have launched a probe after a security guard was filmed snorting white powder at the Hibs v Rangers match on Wednesday night.
Earlier today the Record shared shocking footage of the steward sniffing a line of what appears to be drugs during the Scottish Premiership clash on October 29.
A fan in the Rangers end of the stadium could be seen fiddling with a bag of powdered substance, suspected to be cocaine.
He was being flanked by another fan, who is filming, and the guard who was wearing a Saltire Security high-vis jacket.
The man can be seen placing the key into the bag and scooping up the powder, before asking the steward - who appears to be on duty - if he is "Ready?".
The steward is then shown putting his finger over one of his nostrils before stooping his head and snorting the substance.
As the video ends, one person standing nearby can be heard shouting "Oh my god".
Officers from Police Scotland have now confirmed they are aware of the footage and an investigation has been launched.
No arrests have yet been made and their enquiries remain ongoing.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of a video relating to possible drug use and enquiries are ongoing.”
The incident has since sparked fears the issue of drug taking at football matches is spiralling out of control.
Ex-Labour justice spokesman Graeme Pearson, who is also the former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said he was "shocked but not surprised" by the incident.
He said: "The duty of a steward is to provide safety and security for the public attending these football matches - and we know from our history in Scotland that when things go wrong within these big groups of fans, it can result in serious injuries.
"So if we're relying on these people to protect fans - a steward who appears to be using cocaine while performing his duties, is not a good outcome.
"If you're sending your kids to football and you're hoping that they're going to be safe and there is a steward coked out his brain, he is not going to be helpful in ensuring that safety.
"So there are big implications there for football clubs in Scotland - because if this is happening in one place, it would be unusual for it not to be replicated in other places across the country."
An investigation by our sister title the Sunday Mail found cocaine at six of the country’s top flight grounds using scientific testing.
Reporters - who swabbed cubicles for traces of the white powder inside male toilets at games involving Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and Hamilton Accies - obtained positive results of the illegal drug on each occasion.
The issue of snorting cocaine inside Scotland’s top football stadiums had sparked fears the drug is linked to a rise in hooliganism and Graeme has called on authorities to crack down on drug-taking fans.
He added: "We've known for years that some of those who attend football are influenced by drugs, as well as alcohol.
"The authorities need to try and get ahead of it to take steps to reduce and eliminate this problem."
Saltire Security and Hibs FC were contacted for comment. The SFA and SPFL refused to comment.