Law student faces prison after being caught smuggling £150,000 worth of cannabis at edinburgh airport
A law student is facing a lengthy prison sentence after she was caught attempting to smuggle cannabis worth up to £150,000 through Edinburgh airport.
Sage-Ahliea gold, 25, was found carrying more than 16 kilograms (over 35lbs) of herbal cannabis in her suitcase upon arrival at the scottish capital’s airport last august. Gold, from east dulwich, London, who is currently studying law at the University of greenwich, is now awaiting sentence after pleading guilty at edinburgh sheriff court on tuesday.
The court heard that gold broke down in tears when she was stopped by border officials and confronted with the discovery of the drugs in her luggage.
Fiscal depute Jennifer McLaren told the court that gold had flown into Edinburgh Airport from John F Kennedy international airport in New York on 11 august 2023. All the luggage from the flight was subject to routine screening when one particular suitcase drew the attention of officers due to the presence of ‘a number of packages within’.
Ms McLaren said Gold was seen collecting the suspicious suitcase before making her way towards the ‘nothing to declare’ exit. She was intercepted by security officials at this point.
Ms McLaren said: “Ms Gold was then stopped and asked a series of standard questions. She confirmed she had travelled from New York and had packed her luggage herself. Upon being asked to open the suitcase, officers found a number of personal items alongside vacuum-sealed packages containing what appeared to be herbal material.”
At that moment, the court heard, Gold was cautioned and informed that she was only required to give her name, date of birth and nationality. Overcome with emotion, she failed to respond and began crying.
A detailed search of the suitcase revealed 30 vacuum-sealed packages, which were later confirmed to contain a total of 16.14 kilograms of herbal cannabis. The court was told the wholesale value of the drugs was approximately £61,332. However, if divided into smaller quantities of half-kilo deals, the street value could rise to £75,000, and if sold in one-gram bags, the cannabis could fetch as much as £150,000.
Defence solicitor Charles Morrison informed the court he would reserve any mitigation until the sentencing hearing, indicating that further submissions would be made at that time regarding Gold’s circumstances and possible explanations for her involvement in the crime.
More Read
Sheriff Charles Walls addressed Gold, stating: “You have now been convicted of the offence relating to the importation of a significant quantity of drugs, specifically cannabis. This is, as you must appreciate, a serious matter. The amount of drugs involved is substantial, and the court will need to give careful consideration to all aspects of this case before passing sentence.”
Sheriff Walls deferred sentence to allow for the preparation of background reports, including a criminal justice social work report, to assess whether there were any factors which might impact sentencing. Gold was granted bail but warned she should prepare herself for the likelihood of a custodial sentence.
The case has attracted significant public interest given Gold’s background as a university student studying law, with commentators noting the irony of her facing possible jail time while training for a legal career.
The importation of controlled drugs into the UK is a serious offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and sentencing guidelines in Scotland for such quantities typically involve custodial sentences, often measured in years rather than months.
Gold is expected to return to Edinburgh Sheriff Court for sentencing at a later date.
