A drug courier caught driving through Fife with a five-figure haul of cannabis has been jailed for more than two years.
Kieran Campbell admitted to being concerned in the supply of the class B drug midway through his trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The court heard the 41-year-old had been under police surveillance for several weeks, after investigators received a tip-off about drugs being transported to Fife from the central belt.
Officers uncovered a Bag For Life packed with more than five kilograms of cannabis in Campbell’s vehicle.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane jailed Campbell for 27 months.
‘Hash’ behind the driver’s seat
The trial heard that traffic constable Callum Munro was stationed on a flyover just south of the Queensferry Crossing on July 28, last year, to watch out for Campbell’s grey Volvo.
Campbell had been using a different vehicle when police had been watching him, the court was told.
PC Munro later caught up with officers who had pulled over Campbell on Backmarch Road, Rosyth and were checking his insurance documents.
There was another passenger and a dog in the vehicle at the time.
Campbell was described by police as “compliant”.
PC Munro searched him and found nothing illegal on his person.
However, Campbell indicated there was “hash” in the car behind the driver’s seat.
Car searched
Police found a Bag For Life full of a packaged brown substance.
The retrieved packages, weighing 5.6kg, tested positive for cannabis and was valued at between £15,000 and £28,800.
Campbell’s solicitor Kerr Sneddon argued that police did not have sufficient intelligence to search the car.
However, this was rejected by the sheriff.
She said: “I have no difficulty accepting the evidence of the officers.
“In my view, PC Munro had all the relevant intelligence he needed and he conducted the search appropriately.”
“No escaping what he was caught with”
After it was accepted the search was lawful, Campbell tendered a guilty plea.
Mr Sneddon added: “He was effectively acting as a courier on one day.
“I could probably get an expert report taking the value down.”
Campbell has a previous conviction for drugs offences.
“He’s a model prisoner,” said Mr Sneddon. “He doesn’t cause anyone any problems.
“He has intimated that he’s going to move away from the area.
“There’s no escaping his analogous conviction or what he’s been caught with.
“I’m going to submit that it’s a lesser role.”
This was disputed by the sheriff, who jailed Campbell.
She told him: “Mr Campbell, you were involved in supplying a controlled drug.
“Moving it around the country, in my view is not an insignificant role.”
The sheriff backdated his sentence to July 29 when he was first remanded and fixed a proceeds of crime hearing on March 1.
