Man caught at Glasgow Airport with £126k worth of drugs jailed

We previously reported that Po Chen, was caught on May 8, last year, at Glasgow Airport with two suitcases full of cannabis and stated he was just doing it “to be kind” to the unknown man who asked him to bring it to the Paisley travel hub.

Today, Chen was given a 16 month jail sentence but due to being remanded in custody for the matter since May last year, he will now be released.

Chen, travelled from Toronto to Reykjavik, then to Scotland stating he wanted to visit these countries as he’d never been before.

The 31-year-old claimed that an unknown man in Toronto gave him the suitcases which contained over 33kg of cannabis and asked him to take them to Scotland.

Chen claims he accepted to do this “to be kind” to the man, and didn’t receive any payment for bringing the drugs into the country.

Procurator fiscal depute, Jason Stark previously told Paisley Sheriff Court: “The accused entered the United Kingdom at Glasgow International Airport having travelled from Toronto via Reykjavik.

“The accused was stopped by a Border Force officer, he was in possession of two suitcases.

“The accused was asked for his passport. “Chen handed over a Taiwanese passport.”

Court heard Chen was ordered to place all his baggage through an x-ray machine.

This showed “anomalies consistent with controlled drugs in both suitcases.”

Mr Stark added: “A grey holdall in possession of the accused was searched and various travel documents and flight itinerary documents were found along with a copy of the electronic travel authorisation for Canada.

“The accused had a small black shoulder bag which was searched and a mobile phone seized.

“Chen also had possession of a second mobile phone which was seized.

“Both suitcases were wrapped in blue clingfilm and were locked.

“Using bolt cutters both were opened and numerous vacuum sealed packages of herbal cannabis found.”

The court then heard during the police interview, Chen stated he travelled from Taiwan to Toronto then to Scotland. He told cops the reason he was visiting these countries was because he had never been before - but he couldn’t state when asked by officers what places of interest in both countries that he wanted to visit.

Mr Stark added: “Chen stated that while in Toronto, an unknown male, who he thought was Canadian and who happened to speak Mandarin approached him.

“The male asked the accused if he could take two suitcases to Scotland where they would be collected by another person.

“Chen denied knowing there were drugs in the suitcases and stated he received no payment and did this to be kind.”

Mr Stark stated the total weight of cannabis seized was 33.06kg with a value of £125,628.

Defence agent Stephen Graham told the court Chen was offered a “quick fix” to his financial problems and didn’t think to ask any questions at the time.

Mr Graham added: “He is incredibly regretful. “After his sentence his intention is to return to Taiwan.”

Sheriff Amel Elfallah stated: “This is an extremely serious offence. “You transported a very large, very potentially valuable quantity of a controlled drug across borders. You brought it into Scotland and it’s no excuse to do this is ignorance of the contents.

“There is no alternative but custody in this case.”

Chen was jailed for 16 months backdated to his date of remand on May 9, last year.