Man who attempted to smuggle '˜Â£6m worth of heroin into Scotland' jailed

A man responsible for smuggling £6 million worth of Class A drugs into Scotland has been jailed.

Cameron McFarlane was jailed for 9 years. Picture; contributed

Cameron McFarlane pled guilty to at Edinburgh High Court today having been arrested last year.

He was sentenced to spend nine-years in prison after police seized heroin following an intelligence led operation whcih saw heroin with a street value £6 million recovered.

Offficers from the East Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit carried out a search of a HGV within the Bandeath Industrial Estate in Throsk on 28th September, where they recovered 20kg of heroin from the vehicle.

The drugs were found within two tool boxes, which were concealed under the lorry and further inquiry identified 57-year-old McFarlane as being responsible.

Police were able to establish that McFarlane had travelled to Amsterdam where the heroin was purchased and thereafter hidden on the HGV, for its importation into the UK.

McFarlane then utilised a GPRS tracking device to monitor the truck’s movements as it travelled through the Netherland and Germany on its way back to Scotland

Detective Inspector Dougie Telfer from the East OCCTU said: “This massive quantity of heroin was due to be distributed across Scotland’s communities once Cameron McFarlane recovered it from the HGV.

“However, through proactive and intelligence-led policing by Police Scotland, coupled with vital assistance from the Dutch and German police services, as well as Europol, they were seized before they could reach the public for consumption.

“McFarlane has demonstrated himself to be a significant individual in the drugs trade over a number of years with this being his third conviction for similar type offences.

“If distributed throughout the local communities of Scotland the heroin he was responsible for smuggling into the country from Europe could have realised millions of pounds for those involved in the distribution network.”

“Tackling serious organised crime, including the distribution of drugs, remains one of our top priorities and we will always act on any intelligence we receive, and work with all relevant partners to bring those responsible for such offences to justice.

“If you have any information relating to organised crime of any form then you can contact us via 101 or make an anonymous report to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”