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| Trucker jailed for £7m drugs haul | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A lorry driver who admitted smuggling cocaine from France, with an estimated street value of £7m, has been jailed. | |
| Police caught Cameron McFarlane, 48, from Alloa in Clackmannanshire, with the haul on the M80 near Falkirk in October last year. | Police caught Cameron McFarlane, 48, from Alloa in Clackmannanshire, with the haul on the M80 near Falkirk in October last year. |
| At the High Court in Paisley, he was jailed for five years and four months. | At the High Court in Paisley, he was jailed for five years and four months. |
| The self-employed HGV driver said he had transported the 15 blocks of cocaine to pay off his debts to a criminal gang. | The self-employed HGV driver said he had transported the 15 blocks of cocaine to pay off his debts to a criminal gang. |
| He told police he owed the cash following a previous two-year jail term for attempting to bring 50,000 cigarettes into the UK. | He told police he owed the cash following a previous two-year jail term for attempting to bring 50,000 cigarettes into the UK. |
| The cocaine he was carrying was about seven times more pure than that normally found in central Scotland. | |
| Police said that by the time the drug was cut to its maximum dilution it would have had an estimated street value of up to £7m, far more than the £4.2m first thought. | |
| Regrettably while I understand your predicament, what you did was wrong Judge Lord Brailsford | Regrettably while I understand your predicament, what you did was wrong Judge Lord Brailsford |
| Police searchers found large blocks of the drug hidden in McFarlane's pillow and stuffed into a microwave in his truck's cab. | Police searchers found large blocks of the drug hidden in McFarlane's pillow and stuffed into a microwave in his truck's cab. |
| Sentencing McFarlane, judge Lord Brailsford said he could not excuse his crime. | Sentencing McFarlane, judge Lord Brailsford said he could not excuse his crime. |
| He said: "You had been involved in this activity on two previous occasions when you were caught. | He said: "You had been involved in this activity on two previous occasions when you were caught. |
| "I accept the question of the circumstances which were that you became involved in this matter because of a debt incurred to a criminal fraternity. | "I accept the question of the circumstances which were that you became involved in this matter because of a debt incurred to a criminal fraternity. |
| "Regrettably while I understand your predicament, what you did was wrong. | "Regrettably while I understand your predicament, what you did was wrong. |
| "Because that debt was being reduced by these drugs runs, this is a case where there was benefit to you in relation to these matters and you were a knowing participant in this criminal activity." | "Because that debt was being reduced by these drugs runs, this is a case where there was benefit to you in relation to these matters and you were a knowing participant in this criminal activity." |
| 'Vital link' | 'Vital link' |
| He described the haul as a "very significant amount of drugs". | He described the haul as a "very significant amount of drugs". |
| At the time of the seizure on 10 October, Central Scotland Police hailed it as the largest ever made in the force's area. | At the time of the seizure on 10 October, Central Scotland Police hailed it as the largest ever made in the force's area. |
| They also seized Russian roubles worth about £750. | They also seized Russian roubles worth about £750. |
| Assistant Chief Constable Gordon McKenzie said: "These drugs blight communities through people misusing them, the crime which is committed to pay for them and other associated anti-social behaviour. | Assistant Chief Constable Gordon McKenzie said: "These drugs blight communities through people misusing them, the crime which is committed to pay for them and other associated anti-social behaviour. |
| "In this instance, a significant quantity of Class A drugs were prevented from hitting communities in Central Scotland and elsewhere. | "In this instance, a significant quantity of Class A drugs were prevented from hitting communities in Central Scotland and elsewhere. |
| "Couriers are a vital link in the chain and hopefully anyone engaged in this activity will think twice as a result of the outcome of this case." | "Couriers are a vital link in the chain and hopefully anyone engaged in this activity will think twice as a result of the outcome of this case." |
| McFarlane will face a further court hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act in Edinburgh on Monday. | McFarlane will face a further court hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act in Edinburgh on Monday. |