Kristopher Kinnaird, the director of KK Auto Solutions and an MOT centre in Maryhill, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow in November last year for his role in serious and organised crime between November 2019 and June 2020. He trafficked at least £660,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis and acted as a middleman in sourcing weapons, including a submachine gun.
Encrochat Messages Revealed
Kinnaird was caught after French authorities cracked the encrypted EncroChat messaging service in 2020. In one message, he boasted: "I just plod away - stay off the radar. Don't need to try and make a million quid or try to be gangster." He added, "Don't need jail bait my self up. I have a nice house, a MOT station, motors, some dough." He also mentioned considering leaving his criminal network due to problems.
In another message, he complained about spending £100,000 on cocaine and struggling to recoup the money because of coronavirus restrictions and poor drug quality. There were also discussions about sourcing large consignments and bulking them out with other substances to maximise profits.
Court Proceedings and Sentence
Kinnaird pleaded guilty to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime. Lord Mulholland told him: "You indicated you would traffick large amounts of cocaine and cannabis. You also acted as the middleman in the supply of firearms and ammunition. One was a machine gun and another came with a silencer. They could have caused untold damage on the streets of Glasgow."
The judge noted that Kinnaird knew his actions were wrong but believed his communications were private. The jail term was reduced from nine years due to the guilty plea. Prosecutor David Dickson KC said Kinnaird supplied £120,000 of cocaine every six weeks during the seven-month period and dealt 16kg of cannabis valued at £5,500 per kilo.
Defence and Police Response
Defence lawyer John Scullion KC said: "The author of the report states he demonstrates insight and now expresses feelings of shame and regret. Those feelings have intensified having witnessed drug abuse in prison."
Detective Superintendent Steven Elliot said: "Kinnaird knew the consequences of his actions yet continued to be involved in the supply of controlled drugs and offered to supply firearms. Police Scotland is acutely aware that criminals will exploit any situation for their own gain. We work closely with a wide range of partners to disrupt and tackle serious and organised criminality."
Encrochat Crackdown
Gangsters used Encrochat believing their encrypted messages were undetectable. However, in March 2020, French and Dutch police installed malware that gave them access to devices used by criminals. Europol shared the intelligence with police forces globally, leading to widespread arrests.
