A MURDER investigation with possible links with drug trafficking,
which could take detectives to Brazil and Argentina, was launched over
the weekend by three Scottish police forces after the discovery on
Thursday of the body of Craig Swann, a 30-year-old student who had been
missing for almost a year.
Since the languages student disappeared from his home in Kirkhill
Court, Broxburn, West Lothian, on August 10 and his parents' red Datsun
Stanza, registration number VSG 556Y was found abandoned in Ruchazie
Road, Easterhouse, Glasgow, William and Mary Swann have feared the
worst, but hoped they would be proved wrong.
The call that all families of missing persons fear came on Saturday
afternoon. It informed them that the decomposed body found in a rough
grave near Loch Tummel in Tayside was indeed that of their son, a
tanned, good looking, fun-loving young man, who kept himself fit, was
intelligent and popular with a large circle of friends.
What was not known before his disappearance was his hidden background
in the twilight world of drugs. Police making inquiries in Edinburgh,
where he had gained an engineering degree, London, Glasgow, Brighton,
and Southampton, where he was an undergraduate in Iberian studies,
uncovered the connection.
Swann was a drug user, probably marijuana or hashish, but they found
nothing to suggest he was a dealer. However, the plot was further
complicated by the revelation that he had visited Brazil five years ago
and had been due to fly out to Argentina, ostensibly to teach English,
less than four weeks after his disappearance. Detectives waited at
Heathrow on the day of the flight on the slim chance that he might turn
up.
Detective Chief Inspector Bill Crookston, who has since retired but
was initially in charge of the inquiry, appealed for any of his drugs
associates to come forward and assist police.
None did, although an anonymous call was received at the Fettes
headquarters of Lothian and Borders police from a man claiming to know
Swann and to know his whereabouts. He failed to respond to an appeal to
come forward.
Interpol was involved, an acknowledgment by Mr Crookston that links
with South America and Swann's disappearance could not be ruled out.
The first clue to what eventually turned out to have been his fate was
the discovery of a spade and a pair of Swann's black shoes covered in
mud in the boot of the red Datsun. The mud was taken away to be analysed
by forensic experts.
On the day the student disappeared the car had been abandoned,
blocking a driveway, with one of the doors open and the keys in the
ignition. An appeal to come forward to the couple spotted getting out of
the car and hurrying away also proved fruitless. Strathclyde police
carried out extensive house to house inquiries in an attempt to find
them, but without success.
The couple were both in their 30s, the man was 5ft 7in, heavily built
with short brown hair. The woman was 5ft 5in and was wearing a jacket
with a hood.
An emotional appeal on television by Swann's mother 10 days after his
disappearance produced more than a dozen reported sightings. All were
investigated.
A month later it was the turn of the BBC programme Crimewatch, which
has helped to solve many crimes and trace missing persons, to become
involved. It showed his photograph, his car, the street where it was
found, and the mud-covered shoes and spade.
As always it resulted in a flood of calls and produced some fresh
leads for the team of detectives operating out of F Division at
Livingston. Several of them referred to the spade, and there were firm
suggestions about the store from which had been purchased.
From then until the family picking mushrooms stumbled upon the limb
protruding from the shallow grave last Thursday evening, the trail had
been cold and the inquiry had been wound down to a sole detective.
Now senior detectives from Tayside, Strathclyde, and Lothian and
Borders are involved in the investigation, re-examining every bit of
evidence uncovered by Mr Crookston and his team.
Speculation that Swann was killed by drug barons from South America is
being discounted, but there is a possibility he may have crossed his
local dealers in some ways. Known drug dealers, not only in Scotland,
but in London, where he had had a flat at one time, and Southampton can
expect a knock on their door soon.
The Craig Swann file
1992
August 10: Craig Swann leaves his home in Kirkhill Court, Broxburn,
about 9am in his mother's red Datsun.
Later that day Strathclyde police discover the car in Ruchazie Road,
Easterhouse, door open, keys in ignition and his black shoes and a
spade, both covered in fresh mud, in the boot.
August 11: Missing person inquiry is launched by Lothian and Borders
police. Description of couple seen leaving the car is issued.
August 24: Swann's mother makes appeal on television for information
about her son. Later that night anonymous caller claims to know Swann
and his whereabouts.
September 3: Swann is due to fly off to Argentina and Brazil to
continue his Iberian studies. Fears for his safety increase when he
fails to join aircraft at Heathrow.
September 4: Police reveal Swann had been involved in using controlled
drugs and his Edinburgh flat had been under surveillance at one stage.
September 17: BBC Crimewatch publicises Swann's disappearance with
good response from callers offering new leads.
1993
July 29: Family picking mushrooms near Loch Tummel in Perthshire find
limb protruding from shallow grave. Remains of unidentified young man
are found and taken to Dundee for forensic investigation.
July 31: Tayside police confirm it is Craig Swann. His parents are
informed.
August 1: Senior detectives from Strathclyde, Lothian and Borders, and
Tayside meet in Perth to co-ordinate the murder hunt.
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