Edinburgh cocaine kingpin Mark Richardson was a promising young footballer before turning to a life of crime, it has been revealed.

Richardson, 38, is understood to have played in the same Hibernian youth team as former Celtic and Scotland star Scott Brown. However, he stepped away from the sport and is now at the centre of a gangland war that began in Edinburgh, despite being behind bars.

The Daily Record has suggested Richardson was 'born into a life of crime', and is said to have sold drugs as young as 12-years-old.

Richardson first came to public attention in 2007 when he and his dad, also called Mark were caught dealing coke. Mark Richardson Snr, 44, was jailed for four and a half years and 19 year old Mark jnr for 32 months.

Two years later he was arrested as part of an all

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