Drug dealer boasted of making £4m-a-month selling cocaine through trafficking operation

A drug dealer nicknamed Glasgow Celtic forged links with a fellow criminal known as Rangers during a multi-million pound drug trafficking operation.

Paul Easdon boasted how the cartel was raking in £4m-a-month from selling cocaine alone.

The 36-year-old was in the same criminal network as former Mr Scotland bodybuilder John Barry McDuff.

John Barry McDuffy was jailed at the High Court in Glasgow Spindrift

Easdon has now joined McDuff in prison after the law authorities smashed the EncroChat phone network used by scores of crime gangs.

Easdon will be sentenced at a later date after he admitted his guilt at the High Court in Glasgow.

The hearing was told how the dad was in contact with a number of associates on EncroChat including an individual with the handle “mrr-Rangers”. Easdon used the name “glasgowceltic”.

The pair discussed purchasing cocaine, which he stated he could sell for £40,000 per kilogram.

There was also chat of “mrr-Rangers” paying Easdon £320,000 as well as £100,000 to be collected in Johnstone, Renfrewshire.

Easdon was also in touch with another individual remarking how he was “spinning 100+ bro”.

Prosecutor Adrian Stalker said: “These messages indicated that Easdon and his associates were selling in excess of 100 kilograms per month of cocaine at a price of at least £40,000 per kilogram.”

In another conversation, Easdon chatted about different types of cocaine, which included “Chanel” and “CR7”.

Easdon also gave advice to an associate about how to avoid detection by the authorities as well as the purchasing of a hydraulic press to help prepare and package drugs.

Easdon was further in contact with McDuff – known as “Reverselily” – about the purchase of heroin and cannabis.

Easdon’s own personal mobile was examined during the probe.

Mr Stalker added: “Images recovered suggest he lived a very comfortable lifestyle including expensive holidays and motor vehicles.”

Easdon, of Strathaven, pled guilty to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime.

This spanned between April 2018 and February 2023.

Thomas Ross KC, defending, told the court that Easdon latterly worked in a senior role at a plant hire company.

Sentencing was deferred pending background reports until next month by judge Lord Renucci.

He told Easdon: “Obviously you have pled guilty and your status has changed unfortunately.

“I am not prepared to give you bail and you will be remanded in custody.”

McDuff was jailed for seven years earlier this month after he admitted to the same charge in August at the same court.