Glasgow taxi driver caught with £35k of cannabis in his car
A taxi driver is facing jail after being caught with £35,000 of cannabis in his car. John Thomson, 48, was snared when police who had been monitoring him swooped on his taxi.
They watched him go into a house in Glasgow’s Parkhead, empty handed and return to his car with a bag.
Thomson, from Yoker, Glasgow, pled guilty at the city’s sheriff court to being concerned in the supply of cannabis on February 14.
The court heard officers had “authorised surveillance” and around 5.50pm they watched Thomson go in to a house at Canmore Street.
Procurator fiscal depute Lynne Reilly said: “He entered the address empty handed, he was then seen to exit around two minutes later in possession of a large bag.
“He placed the bag in the boot and drove away.”
She said police “kept observations” on Thomson for around 25 minutes then detained him at an Asda Petrol station near Helen Street in Glasgow's south side.
He was taken to the nearby police office and both he and his car were searched.
Miss Reilly added that six vacuum bags with cannabis were found in the car weighing 4.5kg.
The court heard that if sold wholesale the drugs were worth around £15,000 but could reach up to £35,000.
The prosecutor added: “In addition to the cannabis a Betfred slip with names and numbers was found on the passenger seat of the vehicle.”
She said it had the "hallmarks of a tick list".
Officers found £985 on Thomson who was unable to give an explanation for carrying the large amount of cash.
Miss Reilly said: “As he was within his taxi enquiries were carried out in that regard.”
His last job was around 12.30pm that day and he wasn’t working at the time carrying out the offence.
Thomson was interviewed and made no comment and was cautioned and charged.
Defence lawyer Peter Malone said Thomson is a dad-of-two and is now unemployed.
Mr Malone added: “He pled guilty on the basis that his role was the courier.”
Sheriff Norman Ritchie QC deferred sentence until next month and continued Thomson’s bail.