Adam Lyttel jailed for transporting £1.5m cocaine haul

A drugs courier who was caught with more than £1.5m worth of cocaine on the M74 in South Lanarkshire has been jailed for 40 months.

Adam Lyttel, 27, from East Kilbride, was caught after police, acting on a tip off, stopped his car near Hamilton on 11 December last year.

They found three blocks of cocaine in a rucksack in the boot and a small amount behind the driver's visor.

Lyttel pleaded guilty to drugs supply charges at a hearing last month.

Passing sentence, judge Lord Brailsford said he had no other option but to impose a jail term.

He said: "I take into account that you were of previous good character and that you have co-operated with the authorities."

He accepted that his role in the operation was as a courier, collector of drug debts and distribution of drugs to dealers”

At Lyttel's earlier appearance, advocate depute Sheena Fraser, prosecuting, told the court how Lyttel had travelled to Sandbach Services near Preston where he met a man who he obtained the cocaine from.

She said: "He claimed he had paid the man £6,000 as a delivery charge and that he had made previous trips, being paid £2,000 a time for each trip."

The court was told that Lyttel said his job, in addition to picking up and delivering the drugs, consisted of storing large amounts of cocaine and cannabis in a rented industrial unit.

Ms Fraser added: "He accepted that his role in the operation was as a courier, collector of drug debts and distribution of drugs to dealers.

"He said he was working for two men, but declined to name them."

Lyttel's DNA was recovered from the seal area of the cocaine bags.

The court was told that the three blocks of cocaine had a potential street value of £1,680,000.