Second sea port drug smuggler jailed

A man caught with controlled drugs hidden in a van as he attempted to board a ferry to Northern Ireland has been jailed for six and a half years.

David Brown (51) was found to be in possession of cocaine, cannabis resin and herbal cannabis worth £2 million at Cairnryan Ferry Terminal in December 2018.

During a routine check at the port, Police Scotland’s Border Policing Command officers noticed a large fuel tank within a Mercedes van being driven by Brown.

The drugs were found hidden, when a Police Scotland dog specially trained to detect drugs, reacted positively towards the tank.

Brown was arrested and charged with drug offences.

He was sentenced to six years and six months in prison when he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow today, Tuesday, 8 June 2021. He had been convicted on 20 April 2021, following a trial at the same court.

Detective Superintendent Ian Gardner, Police Scotland’s Head of Border Policing Command, said:

“This is the second person in recent weeks to be arrested by Border Policing Command officers, convicted and imprisoned for criminal activity at one of Scotland’s sea ports.

“Brown’s conviction will again reinforce our message that we are alive to methods that may be used to abuse travel through our ports and airports for criminal purposes.

“Police Scotland’s Border Policing Command teams operate across the ports and airports of Scotland to counter the threat from terrorism, the threat to national security and tackle serious and organised crime, as can be seen from this conviction.

“We are committed to continuing to make Scotland a difficult environment for criminals to operate and we are focussed on disrupting and arresting those involved.

“Officers work hard to keep safe the thousands of passengers and workers travelling through or operating within our ports and protecting Scotland's entry points.”