Drug dealer confessed all to Highland police after vehicle stopped for poor driving
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Police officers who stopped a car being driven in an unacceptable manner in the Highland capital netted a drug dealer in the process.
Officers also had intelligence that the vehicle which they intercepted in the city’s Portland Place on November 8, 2019 was suspected of being used to transport drugs.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told this week that a bag containing more than 130g of heroin was found when the vehicle was searched and 23-year-old James Garside of Keswick Terrace, Dundee, immediately blurted out a confession.
Fiscal depute David Morton told Sheriff Sara Matheson: “Officers located a black holdall in the rear of the vehicle. On doing so, Garside freely admitted to them: ‘The bag is mine. There is 126g of heroin in it. I’m in a lot of trouble. There’s nothing you can do for me now. I’ve been stupid.’”
In fact, the bag contained 130.34g, with a wholesale value of £3000.
But, Mr Morton said, “if ultimately sub-divided into the usual tenner bags, (it) could have the potential to realise up to £8680”.
Garside’s phone was also seized and its messages confirmed he was concerned in the supply of drugs between September 30 and November 8, 2019.
From the messaging, it appeared that he was working for another male.
Garside admitted dealing drugs and Sheriff Matheson deferred sentence until March 15 for a background report and a restriction of liberty order assessment.
