James Davidson's conviction has put a stop - for now - to the criminal career of one of Scotland's most notorious drug smugglers.
The 58-year-old was jailed yesterday alongside David Mullarkey, Ellis Hardy and Wayne Smith for a total of 22 years after police seized a haul of high-purity cocaine worth up to £10million during a raid at a kitchen firm in Hillington industrial estate near Glasgow.
Davidson was a key member of the high-level drug gang headed by the country's most wanted men, James and Barry Gillespie.
The gang made their own encrypted mobile phones, used signal jammers and counter surveillance and had dozens of fake passports to help them stay one step ahead of the authorities.
Davidson was such a key figure to the group he continued to act as a drug smuggler after previously being caught with a £31million shipment that was seized by police.
In 2009, then aged 45, he was nabbed in France, in the country's biggest ever cocaine bust.
The bungled smuggling operation saw Davidson and fellow Scot Kenneth Ross arrested after cocaine was found stashed among a load of cash registers and coffee.
The 684kg shipment, which was so big it filled 1500 boxes, was found in a lorry in the southern city of Montpellier.
Davidson and Ross spent three years awaiting trial in France over the discovery, but were released in 2012 and allowed to go home after claiming they had no idea there were drugs on board.
Davidson's conviction in the latest case shows how important he was to the gang headed by the Gillespies.
An underworld source said last night: "Davidson was a key player in the gang, who were by far and away the biggest importers of drugs and weapons into Scotland - specifically cocaine.
"These guys were importing incredible amounts of cocaine into the country, the amount they imported is unbelievable.
"It shows not only how much they were importing, but also how trusted Davidson was that after £31million worth of the drug he was importing for them got seized by police he just carried on driving for them.
"Believe it or not, the amount he lost them in France is a drop in the ocean compared to what they managed to import.
"And the amount he was caught with in Glasgow shows how much they were getting through on a regular basis.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
"As soon as his time was done in France and he got back to Scotland, he was back working for them.
"And make no mistake, as soon as his time is done this time he'll be back to it again."
The Gillespies are missing presumed dead after going on the run to Brazil - and falling out with criminal gangs there.
Police Scotland recently told members of their family they believe the brothers "may have come to harm" following a reported fall out with gangsters in the South American country.
The Gillespies are wanted over a worldwide probe into money laundering, drug smuggling and weapons trafficking.
Crimestoppers say The Gillespies are wanted for "directing serious and organised crime throughout the UK and Europe".
European Arrest Warrants were issued for the pair in 2019, amid claims they had flooded Scotland and other European countries with drugs and guns.
