A PAIR of drug couriers who were caught ferrying a haul of cocaine worth £85,000 through East Renfrewshire have been jailed.

Andrew Hogarth, 30, and Graeme McLean, 26, were caught swapping the drugs at Silverburn shopping centre last May.

They held their hands up over their doomed scheme at an earlier hearing at Paisley Sheriff Court, pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

At the time, procurator fiscal depute Alan Parfery said they came to the attention of police after former accounting student Hogarth, said to have a £200-a-day cocaine addiction, was put under surveillance.

During the intelligence-led operation, Hogarth and McLean were caught at a drugs handover at the shopping complex on May 31.

Mr Parfery said: “At 5.40pm, the accused Hogarth was observed driving a white Renault into Silverburn car park.

“There were text messages between the accused, arranging to meet up at a particular section of the car park.

“The first accused [McLean] arrived in a blue Land Rover, in the passenger seat. The Renault drove off and was followed by the Land Rover, they came to a stop close by.”

McLean then collected a parcel from Hogarth before returning to the Land Rover and leaving the car park.

The Land Rover was later stopped on the M77, near Newton Mearns, and, when the door was opened, the drugs package fell out onto the road.

Mr Parfery said: “It was later found to contain cocaine – 500g of cocaine with a purity of 82 per cent.”

The court was told police estimated the cocaine had a street value of £85,000.

Sentence had been deferred for background reports and both men were remanded in custody before returning to the dock to learn their fate.

Defence lawyer Ian Sievwright said McLean, of Ayr, knew he was facing a custodial sentence due to his previous convictions and the seriousness of the offence.

But he added that the £85,000 price placed on the drugs his client was caught with was “a speculative value, given the high purity”.

Solicitor Brian Lanaghan, representing Hogarth, of Milngavie, said his client had become involved as a drug courier after running up debts.

As he jailed both accused, Sheriff David Pender said: “Given the significant value of the drugs, in my view the appropriate sentence would be one of four years’ imprisonment, reduced to 32 months.”

The sentences were reduced because both men admitted their guilt and were backdated to February, when they were both remanded in custody.