A daring drug smuggling operation that captured the world’s attention unfolded thirty-five years ago in Scotland. The mastermind behind the plan, Julian Chisholm, orchestrated a scheme to transport Colombian cocaine directly to Scotland via a remote Highland beach. In collaboration with a gang of fellow Scots, he secured the backing of the notorious Cali Cartel, known for its involvement in criminal activities worldwide. However, Chisholm’s elaborate criminal enterprise began to unravel dramatically on a stormy winter night in 1990.
Julian Chisholm’s journey from a deep-sea diver in the North Sea oil industry to a drug dealer with grand ambitions involved a strategic move to Spain to enter the criminal underworld. Having initially dabbled in cannabis smuggling, Chisholm set his sights on cocaine, a highly profitable commodity known as “white gold.” His plan to transport high-purity cocaine directly to Scotland bypassed the traditional route through continental Europe, emphasizing the remote and sparsely populated Scottish Highlands as the ideal location for the operation. By evading the conventional drug trafficking methods, Chisholm aimed to maintain the purity and integrity of the cocaine supply until it reached its destination.
In a bold move, Chisholm struck a deal with the Cali Cartel, a powerful criminal organization from Colombia involved in smuggling cocaine into Europe. The intricacies of how Chisholm navigated this partnership with the cartel remain a mystery, puzzling investigators and writers alike. Despite the UK authorities’ awareness of his criminal activities, Chisholm managed to convince the cartel of his capabilities by successfully smuggling a significant quantity of cannabis to Scotland. This initial success set the stage for the grand operation that would soon unravel on a rugged Highland beach.
The ultimate execution of Chisholm’s plan involved a team of individuals, including diver Chris Howarth and fisherman Noel Hawkins, who were crucial to bringing the cocaine ashore at Clashnessie beach. The dramatic events that followed, including stormy seas, lost drug packets, and a perilous dinghy journey, culminated in a significant drug seizure on land. As Chisholm’s distribution team prepared to transport the cocaine south, unaware of the increasing police scrutiny on their movements, their ambitious plan unraveled with the interception of the orange van carrying the valuable cargo. The subsequent seizure of half a tonne of cocaine marked a significant victory for law enforcement and the downfall of Chisholm’s criminal empire, leading to arrests and imprisonment for his associates. Despite his subsequent escape from prison, Chisholm’s whereabouts remain unknown, adding a mysterious twist to the dramatic events that unfolded in Scotland decades ago
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
