The quick-thinking Glasgow train conductor whose hunch led to £300,000 drugs seizure
Man seen with large bundle of banknotes, then with large suitcase.
A Glasgow-based train conductor led police to seizing £300,000 of drugs after spotting suspicious behaviour by a passenger on several trips between the city and Manchester.
The conductor, who works for cross-Border operator TransPennine Express, saw the man carrying a large suitcase. This was just days after he had bought a ticket from her on another trip by paying from a large bundle of notes, and were unsure which Manchester station they were going to.
She said: “Something just didn’t feel right - I couldn’t ignore it. You see a lot on the railway, but this stood out.
“I’m so glad I followed my gut instinct and helped stop something serious. I’d absolutely do the same again if I ever had concerns about someone’s behaviour.”
The passenger first caught her attention on a Glasgow-Manchester train this year by paying in cash from the bundle of notes they had pulled from a pocket.
When asked which Manchester station they were heading to, he replied “they told me this”, appearing unsure of his destination.
Days later, the conductor spotted the same passenger on the first Sunday morning service from Glasgow to Manchester, wearing the same clothes, and with a day return ticket.
Later that day, on a train returning to Glasgow, the conductor saw the man again, this time carrying a large suitcase.
She contacted British Transport Police (BTP) who arranged for officers to board the train when it reached Carlisle.
BTP discovered an unclaimed suitcase and escorted the passenger off the train, with investigations uncovering drugs valued at £300,000. He was later jailed for nine months.
Andrew McClements, customer experience and transformation director at TransPennine Express, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the conductor. Her awareness, professionalism and willingness to act made a difference.
“She trusted her instincts, did the right thing and helped prevent serious criminal activity. It’s a great example of the important role our colleagues play in keeping the railway safe for everyone.”
BTP chief inspector Jamie McGowan said: “Rail staff play a major role in helping us in our fight against crime on the network. They are our eyes and ears and thanks to the conductor’s observations and quick thinking the man was apprehended, and drugs were intercepted before they made their way into our communities.
“Along with the eagle eyes of people like her, we have a huge arsenal of resources at our disposal, including highly-trained specialist covert officers – you really can’t hide from us. We encourage anyone to report any behaviour that looks suspicious or any concerns to us by discreetly texting 61016.”
A report to the previous Scottish Railways Policing Committee meeting in June said joint working between BTP, Police Scotland and forces south of the Border on targeting known “county lines” cross-Border drug traffickers had produced “positive results”.
The report said a gang member operating between Liverpool and Fraserburgh was jailed for four years after being tracked for four months. Another who supplied heroin between Inverness and Liverpool was jailed for three years and nine months.