A BRAZILIAN drugs smuggler who told immigration officials that he crossed the Atlantic to learn English and see Edinburgh has been jailed for five years.
Emanuel Viana-Blausius, 25, told Edinburgh Airport staff that he was going to spend time doing tourist activities in the Scottish capital.
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Viana-Blausius was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh
He also told staff he would then travel to London to do a language course.
But the High Court in Edinburgh heard he was trying to bring coke into the UK with a street value of £625,000.
UK Border Agency staff were suspicious about his claims and pulled him aside.
He had travelled from his home city of Sao Paolo to Zurich in Switzerland before catching a connecting flight to Scotland.
Prosecutor Ruaraidh Ferguson told judge Lord Lake that Viana-Blausius, of Sao Paolo, was accompanied to baggage reclaim.
Officials confiscated the man’s suitcase and opened it.
Mr Ferguson said: “The suitcase contained a false bottom. The false bottom was kept in place by Velcro and it was covered in clothes.
“Upon removing the bottom, UK Border Agency staff found packages containing compressed white powder.
“This was found to be cocaine.”
The story emerged after Viana-Blausius pleaded guilty last month to being concerned in the supply of cocaine at Edinburgh Airport on December 24 2024.
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Mr Ferguson told the court that the accused had no previous convictions for either “the United Kingdom or Brazil.”
Lord Lake deferred sentence on Viana-Blausius to obtain a report about his background.
On Wednesday, the case called for sentencing.
Defence advocate Lorenzo Alonsi told Lord Lake that his client grew up in poverty and needed to make money for his family.
He said that he worked as a barber and he spoke to somebody about his financial position.
The court heard that this person offered Viana-Blausius a job smuggling the drugs into the UK.
Mr Alonsi added: “Since being taken into custody in the United Kingdom, he has not had any contact with any of his family back in Brazil.
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“He believes his fiancee has given up on him. “
Passing sentence, Lord Lake said: “I am satisfied in the circumstances that only a custodial sentence would be appropriate.”