A Glasgow woman who bragged about her lavish lifestyle on social media has been remanded in custody after admitting her role in a major organised crime network, exposed by a bungled cannabis smuggling attempt and encrypted phone messages.
From Las Vegas Candles to a Possilpark Raid
The downfall of Jodie Gilmour, 31, began in late June 2023 when UK customs officers intercepted a suspicious parcel from Las Vegas. The package was addressed to Gilmour and labelled as containing candles, but an inspection revealed it concealed cannabis with a street value of £2,200.
This discovery prompted police to raid the home in Possilpark that Gilmour shared with her mother, Shirley. During the search, officers seized £11,183 in cash and eight mobile phones. The investigation quickly escalated, uncovering Gilmour's central role in trafficking vast quantities of illicit benzodiazepines, commonly known as street Valium.
The EncroChat 'Scarabflicker' and a Pill Empire
Prosecutor Michael Macintosh told the High Court in Glasgow that Gilmour's large-scale drug dealing was laid bare through her use of the EncroChat encrypted network, under the username "scarabflicker". Her identity was confirmed by messages referencing her partner, family, home address, and vehicle, as well as photos of herself and her property.
The court heard damning evidence of her operations. In April 2020, she offered to swap a stolen £35,000 watch for 220,000 tablets. She also discussed supplying 150,000 'scoobs' (slang for benzodiazepines), with one associate dubbing her "the queen a scoobs".
Further messages revealed plans for mass production, with talk of "enough ingredients to make 1.5mill" pills. Gilmour also negotiated cannabis trafficking, discussing prices of £5,300 per kilogram and boasting she would need "a box a week min" – 'box' being slang for a kilo of cannabis.
Flaunting Ill-Gotten Gains and Facing Justice
While running a cleaning business with a maximum annual turnover of £43,540 and claiming benefits, Gilmour's bank accounts told a different story. Between 2020 and 2023, they received deposits totalling over £525,000.
She splurged this money on a luxury lifestyle, spending nearly £100,000 on cosmetic procedures, designer clothes, and gambling (with only £9,000 won back). Police found a £25,000 Rolex in her bedroom upon arrest, matching the flashy social media posts where she posed with stacks of cash and her new teeth.
Gilmour pleaded guilty to a charge of involvement in serious organised crime, encompassing the sale and supply of cannabis and etizolam, as well as money laundering. Lord Renucci remanded her in custody, deferring sentencing until next month in Dundee.
