A Canadian drug smuggler who was caught arriving at Edinburgh airport with suitcases containing cannabis worth £300,000 on the streets claimed that all that was in the luggage he had packed was clothes.
Isaiah Williams had arrived on a flight from Toronto via Paris when he collected two suitcases from the baggage carousel and headed for the green 'nothing to declare' channel when he was stopped by border force officers. Advocate depute Scott McKenzie told the High Court in Edinburgh: "He stated he had come to Scotland to visit a friend."
Williams, 28, said the cases were his and he had packed them. They were padlocked and he said he had the combinations but claimed that he could not access them on his phone.
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The prosecutor said bolt cutters were used to open up the cases and each was found to contain 30 packages. Each package contained half a kilo of cannabis.
Williams said: "Okay, I understand. Is there any way to check the security cameras because I think someone has opened my bags?"
He said he had come "right from a shoot" and all that was in the suitcases was clothes, the court heard. Mr McKenzie said the maximum street value of the 30 kilo haul of the Class B drug that was found was £300,000.
The prosecutor said that specialist drugs officers were of the view that "the circumstances are consistent with the accused taking on the role of courier of the controlled drugs". The court heard that at the time of his arrest Williams was resident in Canada and had no previous convictions.
He admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis on January 22 this year at the airport, when he appeared at court today via a video link to prison. The judge, Lord Weir, said it was necessary to get a background report on the first offender ahead of sentencing and adjourned the case until September 29 at the High Court in Glasgow. Williams was told that he will remain in custody meantime.
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