University student who tried to smuggle £150,000 of drugs into Edinburgh Airport facing jail

Sage-Ahliea Gold was found to be carrying more than 16 kilos of herbal cannabis in a suitcase when she arrived at the capital’s airport in August last year.

Gold, who is currently studying law at the University of Greenwich, was said to have broken down in tears when she was confronted by border force officials following a search of her luggage.

The 25-year-old, from East Dulwich, London, was arrested and charged and appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court where she pleaded guilty to the offence on Tuesday.

Fiscal depute Jennifer McLaren told the court Gold arrived at the Scottish capital after flying in from John F Kennedy International Airport in New York on August 11 last year.

Sage-Ahliea Gold was found to be carrying more than 16 kilos of herbal cannabis in a suitcase when she arrived at Edinburgh Airport in August last year. | Alexander Lawrie

Ms McLaren said all the luggage from the flight was being screened and a suitcase was identified with “a number of packages within”. Gold was subsequently seen “uplifting the case and attending at the nothing to declare exit” where she was pulled aside by security officials.

The court was told: “Ms Gold was then stopped and she answered some standard questions and said she had traveled from New York and had packed her bag.

“She unlocked the case and officers observed a number of personal possessions and vacuum packed packages that appeared to contain herbal material. Ms Gold at this point was cautioned and told she did not need to provide information other than her name, date of birth and nationality.

“She didn’t respond and put her hand to her face and began to cry.”

The prosecutor said there were 30 vacuum sealed packages found in the suitcase containing a total of 16.14 kilograms of cannabis with a value of £61,332. The court was told if the drugs were spit into “half kilo deals” the value would be £75,000 and when split into one gram bags the value was £150,000.

Solicitor Charles Morrison, defending, said he would reserve his mitigation to the sentence hearing.

Sheriff Charles Walls said: “You have now been convicted of the offence relating to the importation of drugs, a significant amount of cannabis. This is obviously a serious offence with a lot of drugs involved so I will have to give this considerable consideration.”

Gold was released on bail and sentencing was deferred for social work reports to next month.