Man used his own name to order 29,000 E tabs through post in deal to 'settle drug debt'

A man used his own name to import thousands of skull-shaped ecstasy tablets into the UK via the postal system in a deal arranged over Snapchat.

Marshall Scurfield, 22, told National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators he was coerced into accepting the package to settle a drug debt.

The NCA was notified by Border Force officers at Birmingham Airport that a parcel had been intercepted and found to contain 29,000 green skull-shaped tablets.

It had been sent from the Netherlands and was addressed to Marshall Scurfield, 22, who at the time lived in Coniston Avenue, Hebburn, South Tyneside. The tablets later tested positive for MDMA and had an estimated street value of £140,000.

As part of the investigation the tablets were removed and a dummy package was sent to Scurfield, from Rose Bank, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, who had been receiving parcel tracking updates via Snapchat.

He was arrested by NCA officers on 25 February 2022 after being observed accepting the package.

When questioned Scurfield admitted that he had agreed to accept the parcel to settle a drugs debt, and that arrangements for its delivery had been made using Snapchat.

He was charged with importing class A drugs and admitted the offence at Newcastle Crown Court on 2 July this year. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment at the same court today (3 December).

The full charge was that between 01/02/2022 and 26/02/2022 was knowingly concerned in dealing with certain goods, namely 20,000 MDMA tablets, a Class A drug, with respect to the importation of which a prohibition was for the time being in force and did so with intent to evade the prohibition imposed by section 3(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 contrary to Section 170(1)(B), (3) and (4) of and the schedule 1 to the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. 

NCA branch commander Martin Clarke said: "Marshall Scurfield attempted to import dangerous class A drugs into the UK and thought that by using the postal system he would escape attention from law enforcement.

"Working with our colleagues at Border Force, we were able to prevent a sizeable quantity of ecstasy from making it to our streets, where it would have created exploitation and violence.

"We continue to pursue and dismantle high harm organised crime networks behind smuggling attempts like these."