Police seized £65,000 in 'dirty money' when they stopped a taxi at Abington motorway services on the M74.

According to the Daily Record, officers had the vehicle under surveillance and had watched as packages thought to contain cannabis were dropped off at various addresses.

Duc Bui, 27, was jailed for eight months at Airdrie Sheriff Court after earlier "doing a runner" from the building. 

A jury found him guilty of acquiring and possessing criminal property, namely the cash.

The court heard that police tracked the taxi on April 27, 2021. It was followed from Birmingham to Glasgow where it stopped to drop off bags and cardboard boxes thought to contain cannabis.

National Crime Agency officers seized the cash when they stopped the vehicle at Abington as it returned south.

The money was in two Tesco bags. Bui was the only passenger and his fingerprints were on the bags.

Defence advocate Neil Morrison told the jury: "He had been beaten and threatened by these Chinese people. If he didn't follow orders he risked another beating. He was trapped and exploited."

Bui, 27, disappeared during a break near the end of his trial in August. It continued without him and the jury returned a guilty verdict in his absence.

Explaining Bui's absence from the dock, Sheriff Paul Haran told the jurors: "It's a little bit unusual. The accused did not return to court after a brief break. For want of a better description, he did a runner."

Bui was at large for two months before being arrested.

The court heard that he has a previous conviction for producing cannabis.

Source: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/police-seize-65000-stopped-taxi-31455238

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