Law student jailed for smuggling £150,000 of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport

Sage-Ahliea Gold, 25, was found to be carrying over 16 kilograms of herbal cannabis in vacuum-sealed packages when she arrived at the airport in August last year. She had flown from John F Kennedy Airport in New York, with the drugs concealed in her suitcase.

Gold, who was studying law at the University of Greenwich, was stopped after Border Force officials screened luggage from the flight and identified a suitcase containing “a number of packages within”.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Gold, from East Dulwich, London, was seen retrieving the case and heading for the ‘nothing to declare’ exit, where she was intercepted.

Fiscal depute Jennifer McLaren said: “Ms Gold was then stopped and she answered some standard questions and said she had travelled from New York and had packed her bag.

“She unlocked the case and officers observed a number of personal possessions and vacuum packed packages that appeared to contain herbal material.

“Ms Gold at this point was cautioned and told she did not need to provide information other than her name, date of birth and nationality. She didn’t respond and put her hand to her face and began to cry.”

Thirty vacuum-sealed packages were found, with a total weight of 16.14 kilograms and an estimated value of £61,332. The court was told the value could rise to £75,000 if divided into half-kilo quantities, or as much as £150,000 if sold in one-gram deals.

The court also heard that Gold had tried to withdraw from the arrangement, but proceeded after threats of violence were made against her family. She pleaded guilty earlier this year to being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of controlled drugs at Edinburgh Airport on 11 August last year.

Returning for sentencing, her solicitor Charles Morrison told the court that Gold had spent only a week in the United States before travelling to Scotland, and had agreed to carry the drugs out of “financial desperation”. He said she “very much regrets her actions” and has shown “genuine remorse”.

Sheriff Charles Walls told her: “You have pled guilty to the offence of fraudulent evasion of controlled drugs, namely cannabis. You had approximately 16 kilograms of cannabis within concealed packets and you travelled from JFK to Edinburgh.

“This case and the circumstances you find yourself in have been catastrophic for you personally in that you are unable to pursue the career in law and you will have serious criminal conviction on your record.

“In all the circumstances in this case there is no alternative but to the imposition of a custodial sentence.”

Gold was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment and wept as she was led from the dock.