Cabbie caught with cocaine stash inside Poundland carrier is jailed
A CAB driver who drove around Glasgow with half a kilo of cocaine hidden inside a Poundland carrier bag, has been jailed for 28 months.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that 28-year-old Michael McDonnell, of John Marshall Drive, Bishopbriggs, was stopped by police as he sat at traffic lights on Springburn Road, Glasgow, around 6.15pm on December 14, last year.
His Skoda Octavia was searched by officers and the carrier bag was found in the rear passenger footwell.
A further kilo of cocaine was found hidden in a safe in the loft at McDonnell’s then home at 17 Stornoway Street, Glasgow.
Yesterday judge Lord Matthews said: “You have pleaded guilty to storing for a day cocaine and heroin. If it had not been for your guilty plea I would have jailed you for three and a half years.”
Solicitor advocate Brian Fitzpatrick said: “The accused had to give up his employment due to a medical condition and fell into debt. It is obvious that the accused was not officer material in this operation. He has no previous convictions and had no idea of the value of these drugs.”
Prosecutor Duncan McPhie said: “The carrier bag found in the car contained 500 grams of cocaine which had a purity of 87 per cent. The cocaine in the loft was also 87 per cent pure.
“If adulterated to street level purity, the cocaine has been estimated to be worth a maximum of £235,890 on the illegal drugs market.”
During the search of McDonnell’s home 47 knotted bags containing 13 per cent pure heroin were also found.
It was estimated they had a street value of £67,620.
Mr McPhie added: “Police officers are of the opinion that both quantities of drugs are indicative of being for onward sale or supply.”
In court, McDonnell admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin.
Initially, McDonnell told police that he rented the taxi and it had been used by another driver. He claimed the first time he saw the carrier bag was when the police stopped him.
McDonnell admitted the cocaine and the heroin found in the loft were his, but said he was unsure how they got there.
Speaking following the sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow , Nicky Patrick, procurator fiscal for Homicide and Major Crime, said:
“Michael McDonnell was involved in the supply of harmful drugs for onward sale.
“We will continue to work with the police and other agencies to keep communities safe by reducing their exposure to these illegal drugs and the harm they cause.”