Man denies running gang which imported cocaine hidden in banana shipments

A man accused of running an international cocaine trafficking ring using bananas imported to the UK from Ecuador has lodged a special defence of incrimination.

James Stevenson, 59, is accused of 14 charges including money-laundering.

The 14 charges span from January until September 2020, and relate to consignments of bananas shipped from Ecuador to the Port of Dover in 2020.

Co-accused David Bilsland, 67; Garry McIntyre, 43; Gerard Carbin, 44; Paul Bowes, 53; and Ryan McPhee, 34, face fewer charges, including being involved in the production and supply of Class C drugs, and being concerned in the importation of cocaine.

The accused deny all the charges against them.

The jury were sworn in and a joint minute of agreed evidence was read to them at the start of the trial at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Michael Mackintosh told the court that on September 21 2020, UK Border Force officials intercepted crates of bananas from Ecuador, addressed to a company, Glasgow Fruit Market, which contained a total of 952 blocks of cocaine each weighing one kilo – just less than a tonne.

Between May and September 21 2020, some 18 consignments were shipped to the company – followed by a further two which arrived after law enforcement officers made the discovery, the court heard.

Forensic officers from the National Crime Agency and Police Scotland later tested the drugs.

Jurors heard that the Class A drug was of 73% purity in 119 foil packages, each containing eight blocks of compressed white powder.

Locations named on the indictment include the port city of Puerto Bolivar in Ecuador; Hotel Melia, Plaza del Puerto, Alicante, Spain; and Nurai Island resort in Abu Dhabi.

Other places include: the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow; Dover Western Docks Cargo Terminal; Gatwick Airport; two locations in Essex; and also an unknown location in Hull, East Yorkshire.

Stevenson is accused of directing the “importation and supply” of cocaine, and it is alleged he did “carry out a serious offence by concealing cocaine in deliveries of imported fruit to Glasgow Fruit Market”, as well as using false identities to register company directors of Glasgow Fruit Market at 210 Kennedy Street, and Glasgow Fruit Market Scotland Ltd.

He faces allegations including money laundering, relating to the communication of about £1,014050, on encrypted platform EncroChat.

Stevenson is also accused of directing two men to start fires including at three homes on the outskirts of Glasgow and another in Denny, Falkirk, and also at a hair and beauty salon, CeCe’s Hair Make-up and Beauty, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, in May 2020.

Stevenson has lodged special defences of incrimination to the charges, which he denies.

He claims that several other men were responsible, including one “whose whereabouts is unknown” and three others who are already in prison.

Stevenson, Carbin, McPhee and Bilsland deny charges of being concerned in the production and supply of “pills with Xanax trademark”, a Class C drug.

Other charges related to the production and supply of Class C drugs etizolam, which Stevenson, McPhee, Carbin and Bilsland deny.

Some charges relate to six days after lockdown was brought in, during March 2020.

Others were said to be “aggravated by involvement in serious organised crime”.

The trial was adjourned until August 26 in front of Judge Lord Ericht.