Dealer jailed over £100k drug haul 24kg of cannabis was stuffed into table tops awaiting delivery

A drug dealer has been jailed for 33 months after table tops stuffed with cannabis were found in parcels he was having delivered.

Police seized 24kg of cannabis worth £100,000 after customs officials tipped them off about the suspect packages.

Drew Southall, 27, of Derby Wynd, Carfin, admitted being concerned in the supply of the drug in May 2020.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard this week that Border Force officials told police that packages destined for four addresses in Motherwell and Glasgow were believed to contain illicit substances.

These were intercepted while Parcelforce staff were in the process of delivering them.

Chloe O’Hara, prosecuting, told the court: “Two of the packages contained table tops. These were unscrewed and polythene bags of cannabis were found inside.

“Officers found more cannabis at Southall’s home along with a notebook containing the tracking numbers of the parcels sent to the other addresses.”

Southall and his twin brother, Adam, were jailed in 2017 over the supply of cannabis.

Defence agent Paul Sweeney told the court Southall became involved in the latest enterprise because the earlier offence had led to him owing money.

Mr Sweeney stated: “He fully accepts this is a serious matter.

“It’s time he grew up. He has to move away from this offending behaviour.

“He comes from a good family and on his release from prison intends to go into business with his brother and mother.

“He has disassociated himself from his previous peer group and intends to live with his partner in Wishaw on his release.”

Sheriff John Speir reduced the sentence from 44 months to 33 because of Southall’s guilty plea.

It was backdated to June last year as he has been in custody awaiting the case since then.

The sheriff told him: “You are not a stupid man and you have qualifications and training behind you.

“Hopefully, on release you’ll be able to turn your life around.”