Drug dealer caught using stolen BMW to take heroin and cocaine into Scotland

A county lines drug dealer from Liverpool will serve almost six years for using a stolen BMW to supply class A narcotics in Scotland.

James Stephen, 31, was arrested on June 17 last year after police in Aberdeen tracked down a white car that had been stolen from a home in the city the previous month.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how detectives had learned that the thieves had placed a fake registration plate on the car and were going to use it to ferry narcotics in the city.

Officers managed to find the car in Rowett South Avenue, Aberdeen, and they observed Stephen leaning into the back of the car, having a smoke.

They detained Stephen, originally of Bootle, near Liverpool, and discovered that he had served two prison terms for dealing drugs in Norwich.

On Tuesday, Stephen, a remand prisoner at HMP Addiewell, pleaded guilty to being concerned in supplying heroin and cocaine and resetting the BMW car.

Judge Lord Young had heard this was his third conviction for drug dealing, and that this meant that tough sentencing requirements for repeat drug trade offenders came into play.

Lord Young told Stephen he would serve five years and 219 days for the drug offences and a further consecutive term of three months for reset.

Prosecutor Leanne Cross told the court that Stephen was out on licence at the time of his latest arrest.

She said that after officers detained Stephen and started to search him. A purple tub fell from the accused’s clothing and found four wraps of brown power and 18 wraps of white rock.

Ms Cross said the brown powder was found to be heroin and the wraps would sell for £80 each. The white rock was crack cocaine and would reach £20 to £40 each if sold to users.

She added: “From the accused himself, they recovered two mobile phones and £800 in cash. He was also found to be in possession of the key relating to the white BMW bearing the registration mark ST17 ZNU.

“An examination of this vehicle revealed that it had a true registration plate – it was from the car which was stolen in May 2025.

“The registration mark was cloned from another vehicle.

“The DNA of the accused was later found on the wraps of white rock.”

Defence advocate Graham Robertson told the court that his client had a traumatic childhood and his mother had been murdered.

Mr Robertson also said his client accepted he was going to prison.

He added: “He is a very intelligent man and he realises your lordship has a public duty to perform.”

Passing sentence, Lord Young told him: “I have listened to everything that has been said on your behalf by your lawyer, and I have taken into account that you had a difficult upbringing.

“I will sentence you to a period of imprisonment.”