Heroin courier John McGill jailed for seven years 21 May 2013 Last updated at 11:34 A drug courier who was caught with heroin with a potential street value of £2.7m has been jailed for seven years. Police seized 6.5 kilos of the drug from John McGill's home in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, on 24 April 2012. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the "suicidal" cocaine addict agreed to transfer the heroin from England after running up a drugs debt of £15,000. McGill, 42, was tailed by police after picking the drugs up. He admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin. The court heard how McGill had thought about killing himself after he developed a cocaine habit and ran up a debt to dealers of £15,000. Carrot and stick His defence QC, Gordon Jackson, told how the Crown had recovered a suicide note. Mr Jackson said his client had been given a "carrot and stick" choice by dealers. This resulted in him agreeing to collect a bag and bring it back to Scotland. The court was told that McGill was observed by undercover police in England and his hired Transit van was tailed back to Airdrie. When police raided his home in the town's Chapel Street they found 13 half-kilo parcels containing high-purity cocaine. Jailing McGill, judge Lord Jones told him: "Couriers are an essential link in the drug trade which brings misery to millions."