£25k seized from dealer who tried to blame his sister

ALMOST £25,000 has been seized from a jailed drug dealer who tried to blame his sister for his crimes.

Steven Towers was locked up for 27 months back in April after he admitted being caught with thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and more than £16,000 in a secret compartment.

A Dundee sheriff has now granted an application by the Crown Office for Towers to hand over £24,700 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The city’s sheriff court heard previously how Towers offered to pay his sibling to destroy or remove drugs and money from a house on Mains Drive in May 2019.

Towers repeatedly insisted that his sister was the person responsible – despite his DNA being found all over the evidence. The 27-year-old, previously of Dundonald Street, first came to the attention of police when he was seen driving in the street. He was searched and found to have £885 on him, but was allowed on his way.

Officers obtained a warrant to search the home where Towers’ sister and partner were both in attendance. His sister voluntarily stated that there were drugs in the house, and cocaine was discovered in a child’s bedroom.

Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin said previously: “A couple of loose floorboards were removed to the foundation of the house – about 4ft in height and in a vast open space.

“Officers climbed down to search and found two plastic bags to which the witness said: ‘That will be coke’, but it was two substantial bags of money.”

A “tick list” of drug traces and scales were also recovered, as well as further bundles of cash. The total amount of money was £16,810.

Towers’ fingerprints were found on both the drugs and money. The value of the cocaine was given as up to £2,300 and weighing 33.74g. Cannabis worth about £110 was also discovered.

His sister’s phone was analysed and showed various texts indicating that Towers had drugs and money at the house. Towers asked his sister to take responsibility for having the drugs.

Sheriff Tom Hughes granted the Crown’s motion to have the cash seized after lawyers acting for Towers said he accepted he profited from the illicit trade.