A former Dundee student’s family in China have suffered the “shame and disgrace” of his role in an elaborate international cannabis enterprise.
Xiang Chen was acting as a courier while studying ethical hacking in the city, shifting shipments of cannabis for £30 a box in winter 2022.
Chen, 23, returned to the dock to be sentenced, aided by a Mandarin interpreter, having been found guilty of being concerned in the supply of cannabis at a trial in February.
More than 10kg of the Class B drug were intercepted by the UK Border Force in boxes from North America.
Jurors rejected his claim he thought the boxes he was collecting and handing over contained cigars.
Chen was ordered to complete unpaid work in Dundee but his Home Office-approved leave will end once his sentence is served and he will return to China.
Sophisticated business
Jurors at Forfar Sheriff Court heard parcels of drugs were intercepted at Heathrow and East Midlands airports.
Chen’s role was collecting parcels from properties in Dundee and delivering them to a man at the city railway station.
He used controversial messaging app WeChat to send his boss a photograph of a letter from Inland Border Command confirming they’d seized 1.6kg of cannabis destined for a flat used by his operation.
When he was arrested in April 2023, Chen told police he thought the boxes contained cigars.
Prison fears
Sentencing had been deferred for social workers to compile a report on the courier.
Chen’s defence counsel Janice Green said: “Mr Chen is certainly prepared to undertake unpaid work.
“He is quite scared of the prospect of custody. If that has not been conveyed to the author of the report, that has been a misunderstanding.
“This is a case where the weight is 8.48kg. Mr Chen might rightly be categorised as a courier with limited financial advantage, no influence with the chain of operation and an involvement through, perhaps, immaturity and naivety.”
Family shame
Ms Green added: “In the period of him being on bail, he has returned to China.
“His parents are traditional Chinese with traditional values. They feel quite acutely the shame and disgrace has affected them.
“Whatever he has said in terms of explaining his position, it doesn’t make sense. It wasn’t accepted by the jury.
“His status is that he was on a student visa. He has been allowed to remain by the Home Office until the proceedings and disposal have been served.
“It would be his intention then to return home to China where he would take residence with his parents and face the music there.
“Clearly he is immature. His limited social interaction skills… perhaps impacts on his naivety and immaturity.”
Sentenced
The court heard Chen is no longer working or studying.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown ordered him to complete 300 hours of unpaid work over the next two years and granted forfeiture of all the seized drugs.
She said: “I’ve taken into account what’s been said on your behalf by your counsel, the criminal justice social work report, the fact that you have no previous convictions and in particular your age.
“In all the circumstances I’m satisfied that an alternative to custody is appropriate.”
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