A MAN caught bringing one of the biggest consignments of cocaine ever discovered in Edinburgh was jailed for five years and three months today.
Harvey said he had got involved in the drugs trade in an effort to protect his teenage son from angry dealers.
Police seized six kilos of the drug with a potential street value of more than £300,000 after trailing Thomas Harvey, 42, to Liverpool l
ast September 12.
Advocate depute Iain McSporran, prosecuting, said it was the second largest recovery of cocaine in the Lothian and Borders area and of above average purity.
In court, Harvey, of Claverhouse Drive, Liberton, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Defence advocate Ronnie Renucci told the High Court in Edinburgh that Harvey had not been involved with drugs in any way before last September.
But he discovered his 17-year-old son had run up a drugs debt of some £2000 and was facing threats if he could not come up with the money.
Jobless Harvey intercepted one of a number of phone calls to his home and told the caller there was no way either his son or himself could get that amount of cash.
"It was then suggested to Harvey there may be other ways he would be able to come to an agreement or arrangement, as it were," said the lawyer.
"To cut a long story short, that is how he came to be involved."
Mr Renucci added: "He does accept he had the option of going to the police and he did not do that."
He also handed judge Lord Mackay a letter from Harvey's son, backing up his story.
Jailing Harvey, the judge said he took account of everything said on his behalf – as well as the very substantial quantity of drugs.
Harvey had hoped that if he made a trip to Liverpool, to collect the cocaine, his son's debt would be cancelled, the court heard.
But police were on his tail as Harvey drove his Vauxhall van to the Crosby area of Liverpool. They watched him meet up with a man in a Transit van who handed over what appeared to be a paint bucket, covered with a cloth.
Harvey went to his own vehicle then handed the paint bucket back, together with a large, black haversack.
On the return journey, his Vauxhall van was stopped on the A702 near Carlops.
Mr McSporran said a sniffer dog indicated there were "controlled substances" in the van and the packets of cocaine were found after searchers removed a wooden panel to reveal two metal plates, fastened down by screws which needed a special tool to undo them.
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