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fox1 · Guest

Source: BBC News

A DJ was caught with almost £1m worth of cocaine at an airport after
asking a customs officer for directions.

Londoner Christopher Pothin, 30, was found with 8kg of high purity
cocaine in moisturiser bottles after he passed through the nothing
to declare channel.

The haul is believed to be the largest consignment of Class A drugs
ever intercepted at Edinburgh Airport.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, he admitted being concerned in
importing cocaine. Sentence was deferred.

The court heard that the drugs were hidden inside one-litre bottles
of moisturiser.

Drugs target

When he was challenged by customs officers Pothin said that he
"liked to ring the changes" on the toiletries he used.

The court heard that the 30-year-old, who works as a nightclub DJ
and a builder, had travelled to the Scottish capital from Prague via
Copenhagen.

Advocate depute Alastair Brown said customs staff had received
intelligence that a potential drugs target was on a flight.

Officers decided to speak to Pothkin after his itinerary struck them
as peculiar.

However, their target was the one who made the first approach,
asking for directions to catch an onward flight to England.

Mr Brown said that the maximum street value of the drugs found
hidden in the plastic bottles was more than £999,000.

"It is, I am informed, the largest consignment ever intercepted at
Edinburgh of Class A drugs.

"It represents a piece of first class work by Customs and Excise,"
said Mr Brown.

Pothin admitted being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the ban
on importing cocaine at the airport in January.

Threats made

Defence counsel Dennis Crawley QC said his client, from Hackney, had
been unable to pay a £2,000 debt he ran up after becoming addicted
to cocaine.

He was asked to go abroad and pick up packages after threats were
made to his family.

He was told to stay at a hotel in Prague for a few days and when he
checked out he realised his luggage was heavier than when he
arrived.

Mr Crawley said that Pothin, a first offender, was ashamed of his
involvement in the offence.

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