Two men jailed for plot to smuggle drugs into prison through Kinder eggs

A relative of a crime gang boss has been jailed for eight years and three months for his role in a plot to smuggle drugs into a Scottish prison.

Charles McAllister directed others involved in serious and organised crime in the scheme to introduce a range of narcotics into HMP Addiewell in West Lothian.

McAllister, a lorry driver, was acting under the direction of his cousin James “The Don” White, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

Drugs were to be infiltrated into jails using Kinder eggs and balloons, but police launched a surveillance operation and covert monitoring, and McAllister, 53, was heard discussing cocaine, heroin, mephedrone, and “street valium” deals.

He helped the gang conceal money and jewellery associated with crime proceeds.

Evidence secured by the police revealed that McAllister was issuing direct instructions to accomplice Stephen Lamb.

He earlier admitted directing Lamb and others involved in serious and organised crime between December 5, 2022, and March 22, 2023, at addresses in Glasgow and locations in North and South Lanarkshire and at Addiewell to undertake tasks related to drug supply, including transportation, storage, and distribution.

He also directed others to possess, package, and transport crime proceeds.

Money laundering and ‘stash house’

On one occasion, McAllister was directing Lamb to hand over £25,000 to a shop to be laundered.

On March 8, 2023, McAllister was also heard discussing the delivery of cocaine and heroin.

He also referred to a “stash house” into which he planned to install a woman and a child to make the property appear legitimate and discussed obtaining 20kg of cocaine with an associate.

Prosecutor Scott McKenzie said: “McAllister was recorded discussing transportation of drugs in balloons to prison.”

During the police operation, Lamb, was seen making a drugs delivery, and officers carried out a raid at the property and recovered Kinder eggs stuffed with the synthetic cannabis drug Spice and £5,000.

Police recovered £10,000 from another address along with expensive Rolex watches.

When police carried out a subsequent search of his sister’s house, they found a bag that had previously been dropped off by McAllister.

Within that bag was a mobile phone linked to McAllister, which contained incriminating messages that demonstrated his involvement in the source and supply of cocaine and adulterants.

The bag also contained bottles of THC, cash totalling £10,000, scales containing traces of cocaine, and four watches valued cumulatively between £23,000 and £30,000.

HGV driver Lamb, 54, a prisoner in Glasgow’s Barlinnie, was jailed for five years and four months for his role in the crime operation.

He earlier admitted taking part in packaging, transporting, and distributing drugs for introduction into prisons and possessing and transporting money that was the proceeds of crime between December 5, 2022, and March 21, 2023.

Defence counsel Allan McLeod, for McAllister, said he acted under direction from White. White is currently serving a ten-year sentence.

He said: “He felt at the time this was an offer he could not refuse.”

Brian McConnachie KC, for Lamb, said his involvement came about because of debts through gambling and cocaine use.

He said Lamb was “a glorified gopher” in the organisation.

A judge told McAllister: “You were not only a trusted member of the organisation you had a significant role in it.”

Lord Renuccii said that McAllister, 53, was “at the very least at a senior management level”.

He said that a significant aggravation in the case was the plan to introduce drugs, including cocaine and heroin, into the jail system.

He told McAllister that he would have faced an 11-year prison term but for his guilty plea.

Sineidin Corrins, depute procurator fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: “This is a significant prosecution. These two individuals played pivotal roles in a coordinated operation to distribute illegal and harmful drugs.

“With this conviction, we have removed these drugs from the streets and made communities safer.

“This successful prosecution underscores our determination to continue to disrupt serious organised crime.

“We will continue to collaborate with our partners as a member of Scotland’s Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle serious organised crime and this kind of case highlights the extensive work that has been ongoing against these groups.”