A BARRHEAD crook who smuggled thousands of pounds worth of drugs into Scotland has been caged after he was snared by a crack squad of cops.

Gary Millan hoped to cash in by importing a huge stash of Ecstasy tablets from Belgium, hidden in Lavazza coffee tins.

The football fan, who has a Rangers tattoo on his left arm, had the drugs delivered to his Barrhead home in a parcel addressed to ‘Jason Cummings’ – the same name as one of the Ibrox club’s former players.

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However, officers from Police Scotland’s Organised Crime Partnership, which includes the National Crime Agency (NCA), were watching his every move.

And cops swooped on 28-year-old Millan as he ferried the drugs about Barrhead just hours after the package had been delivered.

Barrhead News: Gary MillanGary Millan

He has now been handed a 20-month prison sentence after admitting his guilt.

The package stated it contained “Belgian candy assortments” but it was actually stuffed with three coffee tins containing more than 4,000 MDMA tablets.

The drugs had already been intercepted at an international sorting office in Coventry but, after noting they were being sent to a property in Aurs Drive, Barrhead, police decided to carry out surveillance on their final destination.

Details of the covert operation first emerged last month when Millan appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court for a pre-trial hearing.

He pleaded guilty to both charges he faced – importing controlled drugs and being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Procurator fiscal depute Keri Marshall told the court the package was flagged up to Border Force officers whilst being delivered by courier firm Parcelforce on May 16 last year.

Barrhead News: Millan imported Ecstasy tablets, hidden in these Lavazza coffee tins.Millan imported Ecstasy tablets, hidden in these Lavazza coffee tins.

She said: “It had been sent from Belgium, addressed to a Jason Cummings at Aurs Drive, Barrhead.

“The customs declaration stated it contained Belgian candy assortments. It weighed about 2kg. It was opened by a Border Force officer and was found to contain three tins, each labelled Lavazza Espresso coffee.”

Miss Marshall told the court there was no trace of a Jason Cummings living at the address on the parcel, or anywhere in Barrhead, and surveillance was carried out on the Aurs Drive property as the drugs were delivered by an undercover officer.

Scotland striker Mr Cummings was playing for Rangers at the time, having joined on loan from English club Nottingham Forest.

There is no suggestion the footballer had any knowledge of the drug delivery.

When Millan returned to the dock last week to learn his fate, Sheriff Frances McCartney jailed him for 20 months for the offences.

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Family members in court to show their support wept as he was led away in handcuffs to begin his sentence.

Ian Thomas, NCA branch commander in Scotland, is hoping the sentence given to Millan will deter others from trying to smuggle class-A drugs into the country.

He told the Barrhead News: “Cases like this demonstrate that this kind of criminality crosses international borders.

“Working with our partners at Border Force and Police Scotland, we are determined to do all we can to disrupt the criminal networks involved in drug supply and distribution.”