Police Catch Glasgow Dealer Transporting £105K Drugs in Taxi

A Glasgow drug dealer was arrested after a strong smell of cannabis led police to discover £105,000 worth of drugs in a taxi’s boot. Isa Ali, 23, was caught in Pollok on April 20, 2021, when officers noticed the potent odor coming from the vehicle. Similar cases of drug trafficking using taxis have been reported elsewhere, including an incident where a taxi driver and passenger were jailed for cocaine trafficking in Wales.

Ali pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to charges related to drug supply and dangerous driving. The court has deferred sentencing until next month, while Ali has been disqualified from driving and granted bail.

Police Discovery and Arrest

On the evening of April 20, 2021, police officers working in a Glasgow City Council CCTV van detected a strong cannabis smell coming from a taxi ahead of them. Officers stopped the vehicle and conducted a search, uncovering 177 grams of cocaine valued at £5,000 and 14 kilos of cannabis worth £100,000 in the boot.

Prosecutor Danielle McGuinness stated:

"Officers could smell a strong smell of cannabis from the vehicle in front of them."

The taxi driver had picked up Ali from his home and taken him to multiple locations before Ali placed the illegal substances in the boot. He was subsequently arrested.

Dangerous Driving Incident

In a separate incident on January 5, 2022, Ali was spotted driving a BMW erratically in Nitshill. He repeatedly accelerated and decelerated, changed lanes abruptly, and attempted a U-turn upon noticing police presence. Officers managed to stop him after one officer signaled for him to pull over.