D Walden 
A man has pleaded guilty to a number of drug charges after police discovered large quantities of MDMA hidden in children’s toys.
Patrick Scotland, 28, of Canada Way in west London admitted to several drug charges at Isleworth Crown Court on July 9.
His plea follows what police say is the largest seizure of MDMA and crystal meth from a residential address in the UK.
Border Force officers were carrying out routine checks on postal items entering the UK when they came across packages addressed to Scotland that were found to contain a brown crystalline substance hidden in children’s toys.
Tests on the substance concluded it was MDMA.
Council workers who were completing routine gas safety checks at Scotland’s address also alerted the police on February 12 to a large quantity of suspected Class A drugs within Scotland’s property.
After searching the property police discovered sealed bags and tupperware tubs containing various types of pills and powders including several kilos of crystal meth, MDMA and cocaine, 185,000 ecstasy pills, eight kilos of cannabis resin and over 10,000 LSD tabs, along with drug paraphernalia.
Officers from the Met’s Central West Command Unit, who led the operation, arrested Scotland that day.
Police recovered additional quantities of drugs which were hidden under a sofa, along with a laptop after another search.
Scotland was interviewed at a nearby police station and charged the following day on February 13.
The quantity of drugs seized are estimated to hold a street value of approximately £2.3 million, which according to police is the largest known seizure of MDMA and crystal meth from a residential address in the UK to date.
Police also said the discovery appears to be the first seizure of its kind in regards to the dismantling of a Dark Web drugs site in the UK.
Scotland was linked to the site after his arrest and the drugs advertised were identified as the same as those recovered from his address.
Unique motifs stamped on the pills enabled the police to link the drugs to Scotland.
Detective Sergeant Kieran Curry, of the Central West Gangs Unit said: “This is a fantastic example of a collaborative effort to crackdown on drug-related criminality which ultimately enabled us to remove a vast amount of Class A and B drugs from the streets of London.
“I am incredibly pleased with the outstanding investigation conducted by PC Jonathan Halpin and my team. I hope that the outcome of today’s court hearing serves as evidence of our intolerance towards those concerned in the supply of drugs within our local community.”
Scotland was charged with three counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug (MDMA, LSD, Methylamphetamine), two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug (Ketamine, Cannabis Resin) and a charge of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class A drug.
He was also charged with possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid/gas/electrical incapacitation device.
The 28-year-old will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday.
Detective Sergeant Curry added: “I ensure that we take every possible opportunity, using the tactics and powers available to us, to build the most robust cases against those who bring such unacceptable levels of corruption to our streets.
“The evidence we built against Scotland was overwhelmingly strong and ultimately led to a guilty plea. It is a sterling example of the work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure such offenders are brought to justice.
“We take a zero tolerance approach to drug dealing and the associated violence that comes with it. The Met will continue to proactively target those involved in this kind of activity, with the aim of removing such individuals from our streets and systematically disrupting the supply of drugs in our local communities.”
