Declan Price, a 29-year-old foot soldier for a mobster rival of Jamie 'Iceman' Stevenson, has been jailed for 40 months after being caught with £300,000 worth of cocaine. Price appeared at the High Court in Glasgow alongside Paul Easdon, 38, admitting his part in the supply of the drug.
Police Stop Leads to Discovery of Cocaine
The court heard that a Renault Clio was stopped in Glasgow's Sandyhills area on August 2, 2024. Price, of Ruchazie, Glasgow, got out of the vehicle clutching two carrier bags. Prosecutor Vish Kathuria told the hearing: "One of them was searched and found to contain two taped blocks of cocaine. The other bag had three taped blocks of the drug. Each weighed one kilogram."
Easdon's DNA was found on two of the packages. The total potential value of the haul was around £300,000, according to Mr Kathuria.
Guilty Pleas and Sentencing
Both Easdon and Price admitted to a charge of being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Price was sentenced today, with Judge Lord Arthurson stating: "Your objective was a significant personal financial gain. Plainly a custodial sentence is inevitable."
Easdon, of Strathaven, is already serving a six-year sentence for his role in a major drug trafficking operation, handed down in October 2024. He will be sentenced for this latest matter next month.
Links to Criminal Network
The flash dealer Easdon had boasted that his cartel was making £4 million a month from cocaine sales alone. He was part of the same criminal network as ex-Mr Scotland bodybuilder John Barry McDuff, who was jailed separately for seven years in 2024. Both were caught after law enforcement smashed the EncroChat phone network used by numerous gangs. Easdon used the nickname "glasgowceltic" to communicate with associates on the encrypted platform.
Easdon is understood to be a rival of Jamie 'Iceman' Stevenson, who reportedly ordered firebomb attacks on a hair salon in Hamilton run by Easdon's wife.
Defence Mitigation
Laura Radcliffe, defending Price, told the court that her client's offending began after a fallout with his uncle, who was his employer. She added: "He had temporary employment which did not work out and he was in a difficult financial position with debts accruing. He came into contact with those involved in the drug trade and the opportunity was made to him to make some money - he had not been involved in this before. This is something he will regret for the rest of his life and has had an effect on his family who are disappointed in him. He is disappointed that he finds himself before the court."
