LONDON: A man has been jailed for smuggling almost £2,500 worth of cocaine between the north-east and England.
Declan Holness was caught with the Class A drug when he was stopped by police on the A90 Aberdeen to Dundee road at Stonehaven.
The 21-year-old, of Derby, had been transporting the drugs to the Granite City when he was stopped in 2012.
Holness yesterday admitted carrying the drugs in five different packages weighing around 6g each, which the court heard had a total street value of between £1,840 and £2,400.
He also admitted failing to appear at Stonehaven Sheriff Court in 2013 in connection with the offence.
Fiscal depute Kelly Mitchell said: “Police received intelligence in relation to a particular vehicle that may have been carrying controlled drugs.
“The vehicle was stopped on the A90. The accused was one of the occupants within this vehicle, he was not the driver.
“Whilst in custody he had indicated that he was carrying controlled drugs, concealed internally.
The court was told he did not have the money to travel to Aberdeen from Derby in 2013 to attend court proceedings.
Representing Holness, solicitor Chris Maitland said his client had been under “significant pressure” in Derby which had caused him “to end up in debt” and resulted in him transporting the drugs.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan said: “Offences which involve the bringing of Class A drugs to this part of the country is a serious matter. I take the view in your case there is no escaping a prison sentence.”
