Paisley drug-dealing duo facing jail after Border Force seized drugs

Two Paisley men could be facing a jail term after being caught with cannabis worth almost £15,000.

Stephen Colquhoun and David McCalman were snared when drugs imported from the United States were seized by UK Border Force addressed to each of their homes.

The drug-dealing duo both admitted to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, a Class-B drug, between October 31, 2022 and January 12, 2023.

Procurator fiscal depute Michael Cunningham told Paisley Sheriff Court: “On December 1, 2023, a package was seized by UK Border Force at Langley in England containing herbal cannabis.

“The package was addressed to McCalman’s home in Brediland Road. On January 6, 2023, a package was seized by UK Border Force at Coventry in England containing herbal cannabis.

“The package was addressed to the home address of Colquhoun in Todholm Terrace in Paisley. After these seizures, warrants were sought for three different properties including the two addresses of the accused men.”

The court heard cops raided Colquhoun’s home on January 12 last year and carried out a search.

A bag of green herbal material was recovered from the living room coffee table; a vacuum bag of green herbal material was on the kitchen table in a FedEx box; cannabis-branded packaging was also found alongside digital scales, FedEx and Royal Mail paperwork and other drug paraphernalia.

A total of £2,100 in mixed notes was recovered alongside a number of mobile phones and quantities of bagged cannabis in Colquhoun’s home.

Mr Cunningham added: “On conclusion of the search, Colquhoun was arrested, taken to Greenock police station, processed and placed in a cell.”

At the same time that 33-year-old Colquhoun’s property was being raided, cops also attended 31-year-old McCalman’s home and an address in Whiteford Road in Paisley which is where McCalman’s partner, who is also the sister of Colquhoun’s partner, resides.

Mr Cunningham explained: “McCalman’s address in Brediland Road was searched with no persons being present within and no items recovered. Officers also attended Whiteford Road at the same time and found McCalman within.

“A search was carried out which recovered packaging that was similar to the packaging recovered at Colquhoun’s property, a red iPhone and another red iPhone with messages relating to the sale and supply of controlled drugs.”

The court heard the green herbal material seized from Colquhoun’s Todholm Terrace property weighed 1721.33 grammes.

The red iPhone was examined and identified as belonging to McCalman and contained a number of photographs of herbal cannabis, photographs of distinctive packaging, photographs of postal tracking numbers of packages from the USA and numerous incoming and outgoing messages in relation to the sale and supply of drugs.

Mr Cunningham added: “Should the 1721.33g of cannabis be subdivided into 3.5g deals, it has the potential to resale approximately £14,754.25 which would be 491 deals.”

Colquhoun’s defence agent Robert Mitchell said there was “significant mitigation” and asked for reports to be called for.

Charlie McCusker, McCalman’s lawyer, also asked for reports to be called for and reserved mitigation. Sheriff Gillian Craig slammed the duo, stating: “I’ve had a look at your records and custody is in my mind.

“This was quite the operation you had going here involving a significant amount of cannabis and a significant amount of cash. I’m going to take nothing off the table but call for reports.”

Sentence was deferred for background reports to be prepared for both men who will return to court on July 29.

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