A man has been jailed after he attempted to transport more than £7,000 worth of cocaine into Aberdeen.
Nicholas Karvelas was stopped in a car coming into Aberdeen after police received intelligence that the 24-year-old was selling cocaine in the city.
Upon being arrested by police, Karvelas removed nearly 72 grams of cocaine from his anus – estimated to be worth over £7,000.
Karvelas, who is from Liverpool, claimed he had attempted to transport the cocaine in order to pay back a drug debt.
He told police upon his arrest he had bought drugs from a Merseyside crime gang and had not repaid the money so had been forced to become a cocaine mule.
Fiscal depute Brain Young told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that police had received intelligence in October 2020 that Karvelas was selling drugs within the Aberdeen area.
“Intelligence was received on October 28 2020 that a particular motor car was being used to convey controlled drugs between Merseyside and Aberdeen,” Mr Young said.
“In light of that intelligence, officers from Roads Policing and CID attended on the A90 near Fourdon, Aberdeenshire, in anticipation of this motor vehicle returning to the Aberdeen area.”
At around 9.50am that day the car was located and stopped by police, who found Karvelas in the back seat.
After being taken to Kittybrewster Police Station and about to be subjected to a full-body search, Karvelas then voluntarily removed three clingfilmed packages from his bottom, Mr Young said.
Two packages of cocaine were found to weigh 27g each, while a third weighed around 16g.
It was estimated the drugs had the potential to reach a street value of £7,090.
Mr Young added: “The accused was interviewed that evening.
“During the course of his interview, he spoke about being in debt to an organised crime gang after purchasing drugs directly from them and not repaying them.
“He stated that he had agreed to convey the drugs from Liverpool in order to have his debt halved.”
Karvelas pleaded guilty to one charge of being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Drug mule has ‘real fear’ of jail
Defence agent Lynn Bentley told the court that her client’s involvement “was limited to that one day” in October 2020.
She said: “Mr Karvelas has shown a real fear of incarceration.
“He is in fear of what takes place if he should come into contact with those further up the chain.
“He wishes to make a fresh start and abide by that law in future.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan told Karvelas that “an offence like this is always regarded seriously by the court because it involves Class A drugs being brought to the Aberdeen area.
“At 24 years old you’re still a relatively young man and I note that you have no previous convictions.
“In the circumstances and given the seriousness of the offence, I believe only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
Sheriff Buchanan sentenced Karvelas, of Walton Breck Road, Liverpool, to 14 months in prison.
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