Highland Beach Heist: The Failed Ambition to Land 100M Worth of Cocaine

Thirty-five years ago, one drug dealer believed he had an infallible strategy to smuggle raw Colombian cocaine straight into Scotland.

Julian Chisholm proposed enlisting a group of fellow Scots and transporting the drugs by ship across the Atlantic to a secluded Highland beach. From there, they would haul them overland to central Scotland for distribution.

He managed to sell his idea to South America’s notorious Cali Cartel, one of the worlds most dangerous criminal organizations. However, on a tumultuous winter night in 1990, Chisholm’s illicit enterprise began unraveling spectacularly.

Born and raised in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Julian Chisholm worked as a deep-sea diver in the North Sea oil industry during the 1980s before turning to crime. After quitting his job, he relocated to southern Spain where he immersed himself in the region’s criminal underworld.

Initially smuggling cannabis, Chisholms sights were set on something more lucrative – cocaine, which was highly sought after by the rich and dubbed “white gold.” According to writer Iain F Macleod for a BBC Alba three-part documentary titled ‘Cocaine and the Klondykers,’ half a ton of gold was worth between 7 million or 8 million. However, half a tonne of cocaine was valued at around 100 million.

Chisholm devised an ambitious plan to secure high-purity cocaine directly in Scotland, bypassing traditional routes via continental Europe and Holland to England before going northward. This approach avoided numerous interception opportunities that came with the existing supply chain through mainland Europe.

Additionally, Chisholm aimed to avoid detection by ensuring that the shipment wasnt falsely declared as cannabis or radioactive waste. However, things did not go according to plan when authorities spotted a bright orange van parked near toilets at Corrieshalloch, near Ullapool. The Highlands were then less bustling than they are today.

The seized drugs amounted to 100 million worth of “white gold,” making it the largest drug seizure in UK history. This led to the arrest and conviction of Chisholm’s gang members.

Chisholm himself was apprehended in Spain but escaped from a high-security prison named Fontcalent, located in Alicante, southern Spain. He has not been seen since his escape.

The story of Julian Chisholm remains an enigma – where he is now and whether he’s still alive continue to puzzle investigators and authorities alike.