iStockA man caught with £2.4m worth of cocaine in Renfrewshire has been jailed for four years.
Allan Ferguson was under police surveillance when he picked up 20kg of the class A drug in Paisley last year.
A house raid at the 25-year-old’s parents’ address recovered more cocaine as well as a taser from a locked safe.
The self-employed gas engineer later claimed he took the decision to “earn money” from “career criminals” due to lack of income while in lockdown.
Ferguson pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
The offence was aggravated by a connection to organised crime.
He also admitted possession of a stun gun without authority.
Judge Lord Sandison warned Ferguson at Thursday’s sentencing against his view to social workers that he didn’t think the crime had any “particular victims.”
He said: “You have heard of the numerous tragic deaths in this country due to controlled drugs.
“There are various people involved in criminality due to controlled drugs.
“You allowed yourself to be used by others who will take the reward and leaving you with all the risk.
“This is a risk which will leave you with a substantial period in prison.
“It’s wrong to say there are no victims as there are, including you.”
The court heard police received intelligence about a Ford Transit van in Paisley with a quantity of drugs on board.
Prosecutor Steven Borthwick said: “On the date in question he was put under police surveillance.”
Ferguson was seen collecting a phone before making a call from the van.
A Volkswagen Golf entered then entered the car park and parked nearby.
Mr Borthwick said: “Both men exited their vehicles and Ferguson opened the shutter doors of the van and received an orange plastic bag and a green bag.
“He put both bags in the van and the driver of the Golf drove off.”
Officers stopped Ferguson who was taken to a police station for a search.
A total of 18 blocks of white powder and three mobile phones were found in the car.
Ferguson’s house in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, was raided later that day.
A total of two blocks of white powder, a black taser, as well as £2,950 in mixed notes were recovered from a safe in his bedroom.
A test of four blocks recovered found the white powder to be cocaine with up to 54% purity.
Mr Borthwick said: “The 20 kilos recovered in total, if sold in one gram deals, have the potential street value of between £2m and £2.4m.”
The taser was found to be in working order and produced “visible and audible sparks” when operated.
Tony Lenehan, defending, told the court that Ferguson was unaware of the value of the lump sum of the drugs.
He added: “He found himself in strange circumstances last year.
“Mr Ferguson doesn’t pretend that he was misled to think that it was something other than what it was.
“He accepts he will pay the price for the reality.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
