Former Alness United footballer ordered to hand over £15,000 made from drug dealing after Edinburgh High Court hearing
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A FORMER Easter Ross footballer who made more than £200,000 from drug dealing has been ordered to hand over £15,000 under proceeds of crime legislation.
Alasdair Finlayson (26) was linked to cocaine and cannabis seized during a police anti-drugs operation which recovered drugs worth more than £650,000 on the streets.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Finlayson and his gang used "stash sites" in wooded areas in the countryside to hide drugs, cash and bulking agents to cut the cocaine.
The judge was told that Finlayson was assessed as the individual in charge after he was found to have travelled between sites and sold drugs.
Defence solicitor advocate James Keegan KC, for Finlayson, said he had played football for North Caledonian side Alness United and went into coaching, before getting caught up in drug dealing.
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Mr Keegan told the court: "It is astonishing to see such a downward spiral in a relatively short period of time.”
On Monday, prosecutor Dan Byrne and defence lawyer Donald Findlay KC told another hearing in Edinburgh that they had come to an agreement about how much Finlayson made from his crimes.
Judge David Young KC then ordered Finlayson’s £15,000 to be confiscated.
At proceedings earlier this year, Mr Keegan said that Finlayson, formerly of Shillinghill, Alness, in Ross-shire, expected "a substantial prison sentence" to be imposed on him.
Co-accused Cameron Ross (22) of Invergordon, Ross-shire, was jailed for 23 months after admitting being concerned in the supply of cocaine between June 10 and 12 in 2020 at woodland off Glenglass Road, in Evanton.
Ryan Ross (28) of Tain, was ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work under a community payback order and fined £2000 after admitting a proceeds of crime offence by acquiring and having possession of criminal property in sums of cash between July 13 and August 6 in 2020.
A fourth man Daniel Degan (32) of Alness, was also fined £2000 and ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work after admitting being concerned in the supply of cocaine on July 31 in 2020.
The court heard the drugs operation was uncovered after Scottish police officers began assisting counterparts from England over suspected English drug dealers.
Scottish officers watched a series of meetings between "persons of interest to the English authorities" and Highland locals.
Police discovered a site at Fyrish where clumps of moss had moved to create a hideout for drugs, cash, gloves, scales and bulking agents.
They found 10 kilos of herbal cannabis and more than one and a half kilos of cannabis.
Further drugs, including a haul of high purity cocaine, were also found in searches of woods at Munlochy and off the Glenglass Road in Evanton.
Prosecutors can return to court to seize more of Finlayson’s money if they become aware that he has more criminal assets.
