Jail for ‘drugs mule’ who complained about pain after ingesting heroin
A 46-year-old “drugs mule” who told NorthLink staff he thought he was going to die after ingesting packages of heroin was jailed at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Thursday).
Scott McGuire, whose address was given as Grampian Prison, was sent to Shetland with around 40g of heroin to clear a drugs debt in November last year.
But before he could reach the isles he fell ill aboard the MV Hjaltland, going to reception and telling NorthLink staff: “I think I’m dying, I need help”.
Two doctors aboard the vessel had to help McGuire remove two packages of heroin from his rectum using a toilet brush.
Appearing via video-link from prison, McGuire admitted being concerned in the supply of the class A drug.
The value of three packages found on him was between £900 and £1,250, procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said.
But if broken down into its smallest possible packages and sold, it could have achieved a value of £2,650.
The fiscal said McGuire was a “classic case of a drugs mule”, and defence agent Iain McGregor agreed this was “entirely accurate”.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said he had “no doubt” that McGuire was a drugs mule in this situation, but said he played “a very important part in the supply chain”.
“You chose of your own volition to transport drugs from the Scottish mainland to Shetland,” he said.
He said on this occasion it had been McGuire’s “own pain and agony” which had seen him caught.
Sheriff Cruickshank sentenced McGuire to two years in prison, backdated to 7th November 2022 when he was taken into custody.
