Tourist who overstayed visa caught with £300,000 of ecstasy and cannabis in Edinburgh flat

A Chinese visitor to Scotland who overstayed her visa was caught with nearly £300,000 worth of ecstasy and cannabis.

Xiao Ya Chen, 40, was caught shipping the Class A drug abroad and a search of a flat in Edinburgh where she was living recovered a haul of almost 15 kilos of cannabis.

Police seized iPhones from Chen which contained tick lists and a video of a large amount of cash with a commentary stating: "You see I've just counted. I'll get it to the person to take in back. It's a lot of money."

Expensive handbags and watches

The phones also contained 'selfies' of Chen and pictures of high value handbags and Rolex watches in shops.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Chen had entered the UK from China in February 2018 on a six-month visa.

But in September last year border force officers intercepted a parcel bound for export, which it was claimed contained a speaker.

Expanding foam was found inside the speaker containing Ecstasy powder and tablets, some of which bore the Louis Vuitton logo.

The sender was listed as Miss Lilly Chen, of Nicolson Street, Edinburgh and the intercepted parcel was bound for Buenos Aires in Argentina.

The following month a second parcel was intercepted at the international parcel hub in Coventry. It had come from Belgium and was destined for an address in Nicolson Street. It was found to contain another batch of MDMA.

Fake package

It was passed on to National Crime Agency officers and a placebo was created before the fake package was handed over for delivery to the address where Chen picked it up.

Chen was detained by police on November 26 last year and a search of her flat found suitcases containing herbal cannabis, along with scales and tick lists.

Advocate depute Eric Robertson said Chen's fingerprints were found on a vacuum sealed bag containing cannabis, a set of scales and on tape on a box containing ecstasy.

The prosecutor said that almost £130,000 worth of ecstasy was recovered in total along with £147,000 worth of cannabis.

Chen admitted being concerned in the supply of both drugs between September 4 and November 26 last year, when she appeared in court today.

The Crown has raised a proceeds of crime action against Chen following the finding of pounds 5000 in cash at her flat.

The judge, Lord Boyd of Duncansby, deferred sentence of the first offender until next month for the preparation of a background report. She was remanded in custody.