Drugs mob behind plot to flood Scotland with £76m of cocaine hit with crime bans

A drugs mob behind a plot to flood Scotland with £76m of cocaine in banana crates from South America has been hit with legal orders to thwart their involvement in the underworld. Gerard Carbin, 45, James Bilsland, 68, Lloyd Cross, 32, Ryan McPhee, 34, and Paul Bowes, 53 were jailed for their participation in the drugs-trafficking operation led by James ‘Iceman’ Stevenson back in October. All six gang members were sentenced after confessing to their roles in ferrying the cocaine from Ecuador to the UK, with Carbin, Bilsland, Cross, McPhee, and Bowes each receiving Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs).

The SCPOs were granted following a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh and are set to remain in effect for four years post their release from incarceration. These orders impose stringent restrictions on the activities of the gang members to prevent any return to criminal activities. Conditions of the order include the obligation to inform the police of their movements, disclose any business interests, limit communication devices, and prohibit contact between the accused upon release from custody.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) announced that confiscation hearings will take place in January under Proceeds of Crime legislation to recover proceeds obtained from their illicit operations. Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework, emphasised the significance of the SCPOs in combating serious organised crime, limiting the individuals’ potential to re-engage in illegal activities.

Stevenson’s criminal scheme was uncovered by authorities due to the interception of an encrypted communications platform, EncroChat, utilised by criminals. This led to the interception of a shipment of bananas at Dover Port from Ecuador addressed to a company named Glasgow Fruit Market, resulting in the confiscation of 119 packages containing a total of 952 blocks of cocaine. Subsequent investigations resulted in the identification of properties in Scotland and England associated with Stevenson and his accomplices.

Stevenson, described as one of Scotland’s most dangerous fugitives, was arrested in The Netherlands in 2022 and faces charges related to money laundering. Known as the ‘Iceman,’ he was previously jailed in 2007 for money laundering exceeding £1 million and was likened to a mafia boss akin to Tony Soprano. Following his release from prison in 2013, Stevenson resurfaced in the criminal world, orchestrating the large-scale cocaine distribution operation that has now been dismantled.

In conclusion, the crackdown on this drugs mob highlights the ongoing efforts to combat organised crime and protect communities. By imposing strict orders and pursuing confiscation of illegal proceeds, authorities aim to prevent reoffending and disrupt criminal networks operating within Scotland and beyond. Such decisive actions serve as a deterrent and reinforce the commitment to maintaining law and order in society.