Scotland: Two Sentenced for Selling Drugs on the Darkweb
In Scotland’s first darkweb drug trafficking sentencing, two men were sentenced to prison for supplying large quantities of drugs through the darkweb. The case marked Scotland’s first conviction of darkweb drug dealers.
Connor Holmes, 24, and Scott Roddie, 29, both from Aberdeen, were sentenced to eight years and six months in prison for their roles in a drug trafficking operation that distributed drugs worth more than £1.3 million throughout the world via the darkweb.
The police learned of the duo’s drug trafficking operation in December 2018 after the Border Force intercepted two suspicious packages sent from the Netherlands to Holmes’ residence. The officers found a total of 8.2 kilograms of MDMA inside the packages.
Officers from Scotland’s Organised Crime Partnership consequently executed a search warrant on Holmes’ residence. The officers found and seized more than 73,300 MDMA pills worth more than £733,600. The officers also seized £8,500 in cash.
A day after the search, Border Force officers intercepted another drug package addressed to Holmes. The officers opened the package and found undisclosed quantities of cocaine, heroin, and MDMA.
The officers then investigated the suspects and acquired arrest warrants. The duo later pleaded guilty to being involved in the supply and importation of illicit drugs on March 30, 2021, at the Edinburgh High Court.
Detective Inspector Tom Gillan, Scotland’s Organised Crime Partnership:
“From the address in Aberdeen, Holmes and Roddie were able to receive and distribute illicit drugs, with a street value of around £1.3 million on an international scale. Targeting the supply and distribution of controlled drugs across the country remains an absolute priority for the Organised Crime Partnership and its partners.
“The men made use of the dark web and cryptocurrencies to support their criminal marketplace and used the UK postal system to distribute the drugs. This was a blatant attempt to protect their criminal enterprise and frustrate international law enforcement, which ultimately failed.”
On May 11, 2021, the duo appeared before the Edinburgh High Court for their sentencing hearing. Holmes was sentenced to two years and three months in Prison while Roddie was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.
Connor Holmes, 24, and Scott Roddie, 29, both from Aberdeen, were sentenced to eight years and six months in prison for their roles in a drug trafficking operation that distributed drugs worth more than £1.3 million throughout the world via the darkweb.
The sentencing of Holmes and Roddie, the first of their kind in Scotland, have been welcomed by officials.
The police learned of the duo’s drug trafficking operation in December 2018 after the Border Force intercepted two suspicious packages sent from the Netherlands to Holmes’ residence. The officers found a total of 8.2 kilograms of MDMA inside the packages.
Officers from Scotland’s Organised Crime Partnership consequently executed a search warrant on Holmes’ residence. The officers found and seized more than 73,300 MDMA pills worth more than £733,600. The officers also seized £8,500 in cash.
A day after the search, Border Force officers intercepted another drug package addressed to Holmes. The officers opened the package and found undisclosed quantities of cocaine, heroin, and MDMA.
The officers then investigated the suspects and acquired arrest warrants. The duo later pleaded guilty to being involved in the supply and importation of illicit drugs on March 30, 2021, at the Edinburgh High Court.
Detective Inspector Tom Gillan, Scotland’s Organised Crime Partnership:
“From the address in Aberdeen, Holmes and Roddie were able to receive and distribute illicit drugs, with a street value of around £1.3 million on an international scale. Targeting the supply and distribution of controlled drugs across the country remains an absolute priority for the Organised Crime Partnership and its partners.
“The men made use of the dark web and cryptocurrencies to support their criminal marketplace and used the UK postal system to distribute the drugs. This was a blatant attempt to protect their criminal enterprise and frustrate international law enforcement, which ultimately failed.”
On May 11, 2021, the duo appeared before the Edinburgh High Court for their sentencing hearing. Holmes was sentenced to two years and three months in Prison while Roddie was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.
