Man caught with drugs at Edinburgh Airport allowed home for operation

Alfredo Farina, 61, who lives in Malaga, pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today to being in possession of the drug on January 29 this year.

Farina was asked by Customs Officials at the airport about his two suitcases and told them that no-one had given him anything to carry. However, when the cases were opened, the officers found two vacuum packed packages, one containing 2,462 grams of cannabis and the other, 3,146 grams.

Fiscal Depute, Kim Schofield, told Sheriff Frank Crowe that the wholesale price of the drug was £4,000, but sold at street value would bring £60,000.

Ms Schofield said it was accepted that Farina had been acting as “a mule”. He was found to be in possession of £1000 and 70 Euros.

Defence solicitor, Iain Smith, said his client was a musician and had lived in Malaga for 10 years. He had been found to have a brain tumour which was growing and affecting his vision and possible prostate cancer. Mr Smith said that “a friend of a friend” of Farina told him that if he took the packages he would get £1000.

Mr Smith said an operation had been arranged in Malaga for May 5 this year and asked that his client be allowed bail to return to Spain for the operation. He was very anxious to get back as quickly as possible.

Sheriff Crowe pointed out that Farina had no previous convictions and was subject to deportation. He deferred sentence until August 20, granted Farina bail and detained him for deportation. He told Farina that if he did not return in August it was easy to obtain an arrest warrant and have him brought back to this country.