An Inverness man was jailed for 40 months yesterday after he was caught with more than £70,000 worth of cocaine and amphetamine as he stepped off the bus in his home city.
Andrew Macpherson, 37, of 20 Torvean Avenue, admitted being concerned with supplying the class A and B drugs after police stopped and searched him at Inverness bus station on July 3, 2014.
Macpherson was transporting the drugs north from Glasgow. He confessed to the crime, and said he had wanted to make some “easy money” to help support his family.
Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart told Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday that police intelligence indicated that Macpherson was travelling on the bus with a “significant amount of cocaine.”
When he arrived at the city’s Farraline Park bus station he was detained and searched by officers and 250gm of cocaine was found with a potential street value of £25,000.
Macpherson was also carrying five packages of amphetamine with a mean average weight of 954gm and a potential street value of £47,700.
Macpherson was interviewed by police but he made no comment, however on July 5, 2014, Macpherson provided a voluntary confession.
In court, Mr Urquhart read out part of Macpherson’s statement: “I was only a courier and I am fed up of being skint all the time. I only get so much dole money, so when I was offered this money I did it to help support me and my family. I see my son four times a week and I am applying for work but I just think the opportunity overtook me for easy money so I could support my son.”
Defence solicitor Patrick O’Dea said: “He made a candid and full admission and I think he went on to provide information that was of some assistance to the police regarding where the drugs came from.
“He was not aware of the value of the drugs hew was transporting. He was simply given a package and asked to assist and he did involve himself in that enterprise.”
Sheriff Margaret Neilson said: “You have pled guilty to being concerned in carrying a very significant quantity of drugs. Without people like you acting as couriers, those at the top could not ply their trade. You were well aware of what you were doing and went in with your eyes open for the sake of making money. Only a custodial sentence is suitable.”
Sheriff Neilson added that the sentence would have been 54 months but for Macpherson’s early plea.