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Edinburgh crime news: US businessmen caught at Edinburgh Airport with £100k worth of cannabis

They were found to have around 30kg of the drug
By Alexander Lawrie
Published 5th Sep 2023, 16:00 BST
Updated 5th Sep 2023, 16:00 BST
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Two American businessmen have been caught attempting to import £100,000 of cannabis into the UK.

Brothers Leon Melassanos, 68, and Mitchell Melassanos, 59, were caught trying to smuggle the huge amount of drugs into the country when they were stopped at Edinburgh Airport earlier this year. The siblings, from California, were found to have around 30 kilograms of the Class B drug packed into their luggage following a search of their belongings by custom control officers.

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Both men were arrested and charged and were remanded in custody following a private petition appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in June. They appeared back in the dock from custody at the Capital court on Tuesday, where they pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis to others at Edinburgh Airport on June 10 this year.

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Leon Melassanos, 68, and his sibling Mitchell Melassanos, 59, were caught trying to smuggle the huge amount of drugs into the country when they were stopped at Edinburgh Airport earlier this year.Leon Melassanos, 68, and his sibling Mitchell Melassanos, 59, were caught trying to smuggle the huge amount of drugs into the country when they were stopped at Edinburgh Airport earlier this year.
Leon Melassanos, 68, and his sibling Mitchell Melassanos, 59, were caught trying to smuggle the huge amount of drugs into the country when they were stopped at Edinburgh Airport earlier this year.

No narration into the facts of the case were read out in open court but will be heard in full at the sentencing hearing later this month. Solicitor Cameron Tait, for Mitchell Melassanos, told the court: “The background of this is both gentlemen are US nationals and were stopped at Edinburgh Airport.”

Sheriff John Mundy said: “In this case there will have to be a background report prepared by a social worker. The matter will be deferred to a date approximately two weeks from now for the necessary background reports. I urge you both to fully cooperate with the preparation of the report. We need full information from as to your background.”

Both men were remanded in custody and sentence was deferred for social work reports to be prepared to September 21.

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Leon Melassanos is the owner of a chain of restaurants in California and Pennsylvania while his brother Mitchell is a computer specialist and helps run a fashion and lifestyle platform in Los Angeles.