Drug courier John Brennan caught with more than £130,000 worth of cocaine and heroin in Aberdeenshire jailed

A drug courier who told police he was “obviously” involved in the illicit trade after he was caught with more than £130,000 worth of cocaine and heroin has been jailed for four years.

John Brennan was a passenger in a taxi that was stopped by officers as it was travelling on the A90 towards Aberdeen in November last year when the drugs were found.

When police told the 41-year-old, from Liverpool, that they were going to search the vehicle for drugs he sighed and kicked a rucksack at his feet and said: “There’s stuff in the bag.”

During a later interview he was asked if he was involved in the supply of controlled drugs and tersely replied: “Obviously”.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh that being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin at such a level “contributes significantly to the misery and suffering of those addicted to controlled drugs”.

Lady Wise said he would have faced a jail sentence in excess of six years but for his guilty pleas.

She said: “You have a not insignificant record of previous convictions, one of which relates to being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.”

Brennan of Hahnemann Road, Liverpool, earlier admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin on November 23 at Fordoun, in Aberdeenshire.

The offences were committed after he was granted bail at Aberdeen Sheriff Court the previous year.

He admitted breaching a bail condition on November 23 which prohibited him returning to Scotland except for court appearances or appointments with lawyers.

Prosecutor John McElroy said: “On November 23, 2021, intelligence was received in relation to a Toyota Avensis motor car being involved in transporting individuals involved in the supply of controlled drugs in Aberdeen.”

He said that night a police patrol spotted the vehicle travelling north on the A90 near Fordoun and signalled it to pull over.

Brennan was a rear seat passenger in the vehicle and a search of the rucksack revealed cocaine and crack cocaine worth more than £120,000 on the streets along with heroin valued at in excess of £12,000.

The total value of the drugs recovered was £136,720.

Brennan later told police that he was paid to transport the bag from Liverpool to Aberdeen, but was not aware of its contents, and that the taxi driver was not involved.

Defence counsel Gareth Jones said: “As a result of a bout of unemployment, caused in part by the pandemic, he was struggling financially at this time. Stupidly he agreed to act as a courier of the drugs intercepted by the police.”

He said that Brennan knew what he had done was wrong and has since expressed regret and remorse.