Canadian caught with £300,000 of drugs at Aberdeen International Airport
- Published
Albanskyj landed at Aberdeen International Airport
A Canadian was caught with drugs worth almost £300,000 in his luggage after landing at Aberdeen International Airport, a court has heard.
Pawlo Albanskyj, 29, was detained after telling UK Border Agency officials he was going to visit his sister in Slough in England, more than 500 miles away.
Cannabis was then found in his two suitcases.
Albanskyj, of Mississauga, Ontario, admitted being involved in the supply of cannabis in December.
Advocate depute Steven Borthwick KC, for the Crown, told the High Court in Edinburgh that Albanskyj landed in Aberdeen on a flight from Amsterdam.
He was stopped and questioned by Borders Force officials who wanted to know why he had come to the UK.
Mr Borthwick said: "When asked what was in the suitcases, the accused said it was clothes belonging to himself and his sister.
"When informed that his luggage was to be searched, the accused said that the padlocks on the case belonged to his sister and that he did not know the code to open them.
"He claimed to send a text message to his sister for the codes but said he did not receive a reply."
'Fully aware'
Cannabis was found when the padlocks were cut from the suitcases, and it was found to have a potential street value of £295,000.
Mr Borthwick told judge Lady Haldane: "The accused confirmed that he had packed both suitcases himself, that he was fully aware of the contents and that he was not carrying anything for anybody else."
Albanskyj was going to be paid about £5,000 for making the trip.
Lady Haldane told Albanskyj: "You were apprehended at Aberdeen Airport where you were found to have cannabis in your bags with a value of just under £300,000.
"Given the value of the drugs, a custodial sentence is likely in this case. However, you have no previous convictions and you have never served a period of imprisonment."
Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports.