Man jailed for smuggling cocaine into island

A man has been jailed for trying to smuggle £17,500 worth of cocaine into Jersey.

Findlay Mackay, 27, from Dumfries, Scotland, was arrested on suspicion of importing controlled drugs after arriving at the island's airport with his girlfriend on a flight from Glasgow on 2 October.

Jersey's government said after swabs taken from his belongings came back positive for cocaine, Mackay told officers "I have an ounce inside me", which led to five packages with a combined weight of 68.71g (2.4oz) of the drug being found.

During a hearing at Jersey Royal Court, Mackay was jailed for four years and four months.

The government said during questioning by customs and immigration officers, Mackay said he and his girlfriend were visiting Jersey to see her sick grandmother, which turned out to be a lie.

During the interview, Mackay said he had been coming off a heroin substitute since 2013 following the death of his father, but turned to heavy cocaine use which led to drug debts of about £10,000.

He told officers he had been instructed to import the cocaine to Jersey by an unnamed man from Manchester to clear the debt.

Mackay said he received threats his mother's home would be burned down if he refused to complete the task.

Paul Le Monnier, senior manager at Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, said smuggling drugs to settle debts could be a factor in cases such as these.

"However, this does not remove personal accountability," he said.

"Drug importations harm our community and those participating regardless of their reason should expect severe sentences."

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