Undercover police end luxury lifestyle of Edinburgh drugs kingpin

A MAJOR player in Edinburgh's illicit drug trade is facing years in jail after an undercover police operation exposed his cocaine supply ring.

• Carlin was attacked in the Jock's Lodge pub where he liked to hold court. Picture: Julie Bull

Former boxer James Carlin, 24, who liked to dress in the best designer clothes and move up the range of Rolex watches and expensive cars, was caught by a year-long covert operation.

The sting saw an undercover officer, known as Kev, live and mix with the community of Northfield/Jock's Lodge in the Capital. His cover was that of a criminal on the run from the authorities in England, and he infiltrated Carlin's gang of cocaine and ecstasy dealers by becoming known as the man who could supply stolen goods at knockdown prices.

Carlin was at the level of dealer who rarely handled the drugs which were making him a small fortune. He had others in the frontline. As he boasted to Kev: "I just phone somebody … I will get it sorted …"

It was a world where enemies were never far away, and Carlin has the scars to show for his status, having been the victim of a shooting and a stabbing.

Carlin's conviction at the High Court in Edinburgh delighted senior detectives of Lothian and Borders Police, and was the prize catch of Operation Domino. Earlier this year, nine men, including Carlin's brother, Terry Carlin, were jailed for a total of 38 years on associated drugs charges. Reporting of their cases had been banned until Carlin had stood trial.

MORE ON OPERATION DOMINO

• Operation brings dealers crashing down

• Nine others get 38 years

• Carlin shot while awaiting trial

Carlin, of Hay Gardens, Edinburgh, had been the main target of Operation Domino. Two of his regular haunts were Scotties bar in Northfield Broadway and the nearby Jock's Lodge pub, and Kev's face became familiar in both during 2008. Sometimes he would be with Tommy, another undercover officer. They would be wired for audio recording, and on occasions also managed to secretly film meetings.

The court heard that Carlin bought a PlayStation 3 from Kev for 200, and later went to a flat in Willowbrae which had been set up as the officer's "home" to view bulletproof vests.

"He came in … had a look at the body armour. He was not really interested. Myself, Tommy and James had a conversation regarding drugs … cocaine," Kev told the jury. He gave evidence while obscured by screens from public view.

Carlin had asked how much they wanted and had said: "It would not be me. It would be somebody else. It would be through me. I just phone somebody.Just give me a bell and I will get it sorted for you."

A further discussion, about ecstasy, had taken place when Kev and Tommy had Carlin as their guest in a private box at a football match between Hibs and Barcelona at Murrayfield.

Police finally moved in and arrested Carlin on 11 February last year. Nearly 10,000 tablets which had the appearance of ecstasy but were, in fact, BZP - a legitimate drug at the time - were found in a holdall in the garden shed at his home, where he lived with his parents and brother. Officers also recovered evidence of his lavish lifestyle. It included spending thousands of pounds on laser eye surgery, Rolex watches, trips to Las Vegas and to Ibiza, where he attended a nightclub party which also had supermodel Kate Moss and motorcycle racing champion Valentino Rossi on the guest list.

Carlin drove an X-type Jaguar and Mitsubishi Warrior 4x4. He spent nearly 900 on a trip to Manchester for a Manchester City-Arsenal game and 990 on a Louis Vuitton handbag as a Christmas present for his girlfriend. He also had 1,790 in cash in the house.

Carlin claimed his spending had been funded by savings from a job as a glazier, through running a car valeting business and working in a parcel delivery franchise. He also said he had been lucky at the bookmakers.

The advocate-depute, Morag Jack, argued to the jury that Carlin was not someone who supplied small quantities to drug users but someone much higher up the chain of supply.

"He was someone whose role was hands-off, who facilitated the supply of wholesale quantities of cocaine and BZP, an ecstasy substitute," said Ms Jack.

The jury convicted Carlin of being concerned in the supplying of cocaine, and of attempting to be involved in the supplying of ecstasy.

He will be sentenced later.