Scottish tourist arrested at Colombian airport after trying to leave with ‘nearly 2kg of cocaine’

A Scottish tourist has been arrested in Colombia after allegedly trying to board a flight home with nearly 2kg of cocaine in his suitcase.

Ricky Grant Courage, 32, has been remanded in custody after being stopped at Rafael Nunez International Airport, which serves the Caribbean port city of Cartagena, on 29 September.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was assisting Courage, who is believed to be from Aberdeen and is denying any wrongdoing.

In a statement posted online, the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia said Courage has been charged under the crime of manufacturing, trafficking or carrying narcotics.

The prosecution service has claimed 1,976g of cocaine was detected in Courage’s checked luggage to Scotland with help from sniffer dogs during a police inspection.

A spokesperson said: “Six packages covered with black plastic were found among the foreigner’s personal belongings.”

Read more from Sky News:
Plot to smuggle cocaine ‘worth £100m’ in banana boxes
Tonne of cocaine seized from fishing boat

Courage, who refutes the allegations, is currently being held at San Sebastian Ternera Prison in Cartagena.

A spokesperson for FCDO said: “We are supporting a British man detained in Colombia and are in touch with the local authorities.”