Scots couple face 15 years behind bars if convicted after arrest in Australia over ‘£5.7m drugs haul in rental car boot’

A SCOTS mum-of-two and her boyfriend are facing 15 years in jail if convicted of a plot to flood Australia with almost £6million of narcotics, we can reveal. Cops swooped on Demi McDaid, 23, and Jack Farrelly, 30, when the ‘tourists’ flew into Sydney last month. Demi McDaid, 23, and boyfriend Jack Farrelly, 30, were arrested in Australia last month New South Wales cops allegedly found cash and 107kg of drugs, believed to be ketamine Credit: New South Wales Police Police — tipped off by locals about the pair’s suspicious behaviour — initially found 2kg of ketamine at a holiday let rented by the couple in the affluent North Shore suburb of Artarmon on June 26. A further 105 kilos of the party drug were allegedly later discovered in the boot of a motor leased by Farrelly and parked in hotel car park. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The couple, of Edinburgh, were last night on remand in an Australian prison following their shock arrests last month. And it has now emerged they could languish behind bars for years if found guilty of being involved in supplying a “commercial quantity” of illegal drugs. A well-placed source familiar with drug probes on this scale told The Scottish Sun: “Australia doesn’t go easy on this type of crime — if convicted, they could be facing 15 years minimum. “A lot depends on the circumstances around the case but they are looking at a very long stretch and then certain deportation. “It’s notable the arrest was made by New South Wales Police rather than Border Force or the Federal Police. That suggests it could be connected to local drug dealing rather than importation. “If that’s the case you would expect the investigation to be looking at any connections the suspects have had with people already based in Australia.” Most read in The Sun Drugs were allegedly found in the boot of a rental car Credit: New South Wales Police Officers also allegedly found mobile phones, drug ledgers and just over AUD$2,000 (£1,047) Credit: New South Wales Police Officers claim the pair flew Down Under with no local ties and relied on their “fresh faces” to avoid detection or suspicion. But residents in Artarmon, just under six miles north-west of Sydney’s central business district, alerted cops to odd goings-on at the couple’s holiday rental. As well as the initial small amount of ketamine, cops who raided the property allegedly discovered scales, disposable gloves, clear resealable bags with white crystallised residue and luggage. Three days later, they obtained a warrant to seach a nearby hotel where they seized a number of mobile phones, almost £1,050 in Australian dollars and ledgers detailing drugs transactions. Police also searched a motor in a hotel car park, said to have been rented by Farrelly, where around 105 kilos of the powerful hallucinogen was stashed in the boot. The discoveries led to McDaid and Farrelly being located, arrested and taken to the suburb’s Chatswood station to be grilled. Detective Acting Inspector Alison Dixon, of New South Wales Police, said: “We will allege that the couple travelled from the UK for the sole purpose of taking part in illegal drug supply.” Cops shared images from the swoops online, with one showing a white substance inside clear evidence bags with the force logo emblazoned across them. Crimefighters also posted photographs of cash spread across a table in $50 bills — amid claims they seized thousands in used banknotes as part of the ongoing major inquiry. Another snap shows a small white hatchback with its boot open and laden with reusable shopping bags. COUPLE'S LOVED UP DATE PICTURES Graham Mann FARRELLY and McDaid posed for a date night photo in an Australian restaurant before they were nicked over a £5.7million ketamine haul. The smitten couple smiled before a meal at Rashays, with mum-of-two McDaid uploading it to social media, writing: “My love always.” The picture was posted on June 6 – just 20 days before the pair were arrested in a hotel over the alleged drug trafficking conspiracy. In another video clip, they are cuddling up in bed, with McDaid posting a huge pink love heart and writing “My soulmate”. In further snaps, Farrally is seen celebrating his 29th birthday at a garden party in May last year. And in January last year they enjoyed a special weekend to mark McDaid’s birthday at the Forrest Hills Hotel and Spa near Stirling. They were pictured drinking bubbly together in a plush room they shared with McDaid’s pet dog. She also showed off a pair of Gucci sunglasses worth up £355 she was gifted for her 22nd birthday. She wrote: “Had the nicest birthday weekend away with my love.” Meanwhile, a picture posted on McDaid’s Facebook page shows her glammed up and beaming alongside Farrelly, who appears to be wearing a designer Louis Vuitton sweater. Local reports say the investigation was triggered by eagle-eyed residents who contacted cops after becoming suspicious of the two Scots strangers. “Red flags” were quickly noted, such as “no traditional luggage inside the short-term rental property, key bags left out of place and guests acting in a way that didn’t fit what he considered typical holidaymakers”. Police have since urged residents and home owners to be aware of the risks associated with the growing popularity of holiday lets. Detective Acting Inspector Dixon told an Aussie news outlet that drug syndicates were increasingly relying on the high turnover of people at rented temporary accommodation to fly under the radar. She added: “We have seen this before in short stays and encourage property owners to be wary. People staying in hotels and Airbnbs — we see a lot of illegal activities come and go through those places.” She added: “Stuff out of the ordinary that doesn’t look right..if it doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.” The officer went on to hail “good old-fashioned police work” from veteran detectives combined with tech-savvy younger cops who helped piece together the case. McDaid and Farrelly initially appeared at Manly Local Court on June 30 and were denied bail. Both were charged with supplying a prohibited drug “larger than indictable and less than commercial quantity”, as well as supplying drugs “larger than or equal to large commercial quantity”. They are next due before Downing Centre Local Court on August 26. Police say the probe is ongoing as they work to identify potential wider international connections to the plot. The UK Foreign Office said: “We are supporting two British nationals detained in Australia and are in contact with the local authorities.” 3 comments3