Dealer swallowed 14 heroin wraps in botched bid to smuggle drugs into Saughton prison

A dealer has been jailed for swallowing 14 wraps of heroin and then getting himself arrested in a botched bid to bring drugs into Saughton prison.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Darren Sivier handed himself into police in April 2017 after learning officers were looking for him for breaching a court order.

The 39 year-old was later found half naked in his cell – with a number of what appeared to be plastic balls lying on the floor.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The packages turned out to be heroin, which could be worth £45,000 in jail.

Internal view of Saughton Prison.  Picture: Ian RutherfordInternal view of Saughton Prison.  Picture: Ian Rutherford
Internal view of Saughton Prison. Picture: Ian Rutherford

But Sivier initially claimed to police he had no idea what they were.

Sivier – who already had a string of drug convictions – today pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to being concerned in the supply of heroin.

He also admitted failing to turn up for a previous court hearing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lord Turnbull jailed him for a total of six years and 219 days.

The High Court in Glasgow. Picture: John DevlinThe High Court in Glasgow. Picture: John Devlin
The High Court in Glasgow. Picture: John Devlin

The court heard that Sivier had been locked up for a drugs crime in 2015. He was placed on a supervised release order then freed a year later.

However, Sivier flouted it and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The hearing was told Sivier then suddenly turned up to a police station at Edinburgh in April 2017 to hand himself in.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Prosecutors stated he had done this knowing he would be held and “transferred to HMP Saughton” in the capital.

He had already swallowed packages of heroin – including drugs wrapped in plastic balloons – to supply to inmates in the prison.

Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel said Sivier initially appeared “anxious” at the police station.

He was later found lying in his cell naked from the waist down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The coloured packages were then found, but Sivier said: “I don’t know what you are talking about. I have just woken up. They are not mine.”

He was then taken to hospital but refused medical treatment.

However, he later admitted the crime before stating: “I will do 10 years for this.”

The 14 packages had a potential value of around £45,000.

Michael Anderson, defending, said Sivier had been “under pressure from those within prison”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “It is perhaps obvious that this was the wrong to do. He also jeopardised how own life by digesting the drugs.”

Join our Facebook group Our Edinburgh to share images and news from and around the Capital