Police Scotland’s Operation Branchform, which began in 2021, finally secured a guilty plea against former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell after a protracted investigation that cost more than £2 million . The probe, led by Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston, was hampered by the party’s intricate accounts system,which Murrell allegedly used to conceal £400,000 of embezzled funds over 12 years.

Operation Branchform’s £2 Million Price Tag Reflects a 12‑Year Hunt for Hidden Funds

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston explained that the investigation’s cost exceeded £2 million because it required a “thorough investigation to evidence every part of the fraud.” According to Houston,the complexity of the SNP’s accounting system—described as “difficult to unpick”—meant that investigators had to sift through a vast number of financial documents to build a case that could withstand court scrutiny.

Police Scotland’s Specialist Crime Division (SCD) Was Key to Unraveling the Scheme

Houston credited Police Scotland’s Specialist Crime Division with providing the expertise needed to navigate the tangled financial trail. He noted that the SCD’s investigators “worked under intense scrutiny” and were able to flex across different investigations, a flexibility that proved essential when operational security and integrity were paramount.

Collaboration with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Ensured Robust Evidence

The probe relied heavily on joint work with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). Houston said that “a huge effort was put in jointly with the COPFS to ensure the best possible evidence was obtained.” Chief Constable Jo Farrell praised the team’s cooperation, highlighting the “intense scrutiny” the investigators faced in a case of significant public interest.

Who Was the Unnamed Buyer of Murrell’s Illicit Gains?

While the investigation exposed Murrell’s diversion of SNP funds to his own account, the source does not reveal who benefited from the illicit transfers or how the money was ultimately spent. The question of whether any third parties profited from the embezzlement remains unanswered.

National Crime Agency’s Support Validates a Single‑Force Police Model

Graeme Biggar, director‑general of the National Crime Agency, praised Operation Branchform as a vindication of the single national police force model. He argued that the case demonstrated Police Scotland’s ability to hold individuals accountable without political interference, countering early concerns that a unified force might be too close to government.