Moment detectives uncover £76m of cocaine in banana boxes bound for Glasgow Fruit Market

Detectives who uncovered £76m of cocaine smuggled in boxes of bananas from Ecuador addressed to Glasgow Fruit Market have shared footage of officers finding the drugs.

The clips show Border Force officers at the Port of Dover seizing 18 consignments of bananas between May and September 2020. The cocaine had a purity of 73%, weighing almost a tonne and would make the crime lord behind the smuggling operation £76 million.

James 'Iceman' Stevenson, 59, pleaded guilty midway through a trial at the High Court in Glasgow to two charges; of directing a serious criminal offence of importation of cocaine, and of being involved in organised crime through the production and supply of etizolam, often known as street Valium.

The Glasgow gangster was one of the UK's most wanted men. He has now been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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Fruit market trader David Bilsland, 67, entered a guilty plea to a charge of agreeing to import cocaine and co-accused Paul Bowes, 53, pleaded guilty to being involved in organised crime linked to the production and supply of class C drug etizolam at a string of premises including the Nurai Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, in London and in Rochester, Kent.

Stevenson's stepson, Gerard Carbin, 44, and co-accused Ryan McPhee, 34, admitted being involved in organised crime through the production and supply of etizolam.

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The plot was smashed by French law enforcement officers who infiltrated the encrypted EncroChat network in April 2020.
Vehicle recovery firm owner Lloyd Cross, 32, pleaded guilty to involvement in the plot before the trial.

Deputy Crown Agent Kenny Donnelly, who leads the fight against serious organised crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: “James Stevenson and his criminal associates were involved in drug trafficking on an industrial and global scale.

“But they have been brought to justice thanks to an extensive operation involving Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency, working with COPFS, to investigate and dismantle their network of drug supply.

“This also included Stevenson being directly involved in the manufacturing of millions of Eitzolam tablets at a pill factory in Kent.

“Our message is clear: we will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of drug traffickers.

“They will be caught, they will be prosecuted, and they will be brought to account for their crimes through the courts. The sentences imposed reflect the gravity of the offences committed by Stevenson and his co-accused.

“It was clear from the EncroChat messages that, as the ringleader, he directed the group. The cocaine they were planning to distribute would have undoubtedly contributed to misery in our communities.

“These convictions are testament to the forensic and meticulous work undertaken by specialist Crown Office prosecutors to bring Stevenson and his five co-accused to justice and I would like to commend their efforts.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Police Scotland’s Head of Organised Crime, said: “The sentencing of Stevenson, Bilsland, Bowes, Carbin, McPhee and Cross following their guilty pleas sends out a clear message that the activities of those who think that they can bring illegal drugs into our communities will not be tolerated.

“I want to acknowledge the hard work and diligence shown by the officers who investigated the group and provided the evidence in what was a complex investigation.

“It also and shows the value of working with our law enforcement partners, including the National Crime Agency and those abroad and underlines Police Scotland’s unwavering commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and its national strategy.

“This multi-agency operation, which spanned several countries, prevented a huge haul of illegal drugs reaching our communities and will have undoubtedly saved lives.

“However, we cannot be complacent, and our officers will continue their work to ensure Scotland remains a hostile environment for organised criminals.”