A BARRHEAD drug dealer is facing a jail sentence after thousands of illegal pills hidden in coffee tins were sent to his home from Belgium.

Gary Millan, who has a Rangers tattoo on his left arm, had a huge stash of Ecstasy tablets delivered in a parcel addressed to ‘Jason Cummings’ – the same name as one of the Ibrox club’s former players.

However, officers from the National Crime Agency were watching his every move.

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And cops swooped on 27-year-old Millan as he ferried the drugs about Barrhead just hours after the package had been delivered.

The package stated it contained “Belgian candy assortments” but it was actually stuffed with three coffee tins containing more than 4,000 MDMA tablets, which are more commonly known as Ecstasy and were emblazoned with Sprite and iPhone X logos.

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 emerged last week 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 in Coventry whilst being delivered by courier firm Parcelforce on May 16 last year.

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.”

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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 while 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.

Miss Marshall said: “The door was opened by a lady, Helen Goodwin, and the driver said he had a parcel for a Jason Cummings.

“Miss Goodwin stated that was her son, who was in bed, and signed a declaration which she returned to the driver.”

Millan was later seen taking the box out of the property in a carrier bag and, when stopped by officers, it was found in the back of the car he was travelling in.

His phone was seized and, when it was examined, police found he had been texting people to offer them drugs.

Defence solicitor Gordon Ritchie told the court Millan recognised that custody was “a very real possibility.”

As she deferred sentence until later this month for background reports to be prepared, Sheriff Frances McCartney told Millan: “I must do that because you have never served a period in custody before.

“A custodial sentence is at the forefront of my mind.”

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