Monday, 30 April 2012

Spanish court clears four Scots of drug trafficking

Four Scots have been acquitted by a Spanish court of drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Ronald O'Dea, 45, from Kilmarnock, Mary Durkin Hendry, 61 from Hamilton, Ian Donaldson, 32, and James McDonald, 62, both from Glasgow, were cleared at the National Criminal Court in Madrid. Judges said there were pointers towards clandestine activities but insufficient evidence to convict. Stephen Brown, 45, from London, was convicted of trafficking amphetamines. He was jailed for six-and-a-half years and fined 8,000 euros. Cash forfeited The case followed a four-year operation by Spanish law enforcement agencies and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency into amphetamine smuggling and money laundering. Mr O'Dea and Mr McDonald were arrested in Spain in November 2008. Mr Donaldson, who fled, was later extradited from Scotland. He forfeited £70,000 which had been found when he was arrested. The Spanish judges said there was reasonable doubt about clandestine activities between the accused, and property they owned without legitimate income to support it. But they said there was insufficient evidence to convict them and Ms Hendry, who was also charged.

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