DRUG DEALER BUSTED AFTER FIRST DAY ON THE JOB

£17k haul found in cop raid

A teenage dealer was caught with nearly £ 17,000 worth of cannabis on his first day selling drugs.

Alistair Urquhart, 19, was caught with the haul in the bedroom of his parent’s home and blurted: “Everything you find here is mine.”

He was strong- armed into taking part in the illicit operation in a bid to pay off a massive cocaine debt.

At Paisley Sheriff Court, Urquhart dodged jail after admitting his role in the scheme.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew warned the teen was on the verge of being banged up.

He said: “You have pled guilty to being concerned, on one day, in the supply of selling a Class-B drug.

“There was 1.6kg of cannabis in multiple polythene bags.

“A substantial quantity of money was also found in mixed notes.

“To your credit, you accepted your guilt straight away.

“You were involved to clear a substantial drug debt of thousands of pounds.

“We see the effects of the

supply of illicit drugs in this court every single day.

“That effect on society has to be recognised as considerable.”

Urquhart was rumbled at the home he shares with his parents in Ladyacres Way, Inchinnan.

Cops raided the house and uncovered the cache, alongside scales and cash.

The crop was sent for analysis – with experts valuing the almost 1.7kg pile at £16,700.

Prosecutor Keri Marshall told how police made the discovery while acting on a tip-off.

She said: “Police were granted a search warrant and gained entry to the property.

“The accused was present, along with his father.

“A systematic search of the property was thereafter carried out and a number of tubs and polythene bags were recovered from a bedroom.

“The property is a threebed detached house and the accused resides there with his parents.

“A total of £905 in mixed notes was found in a chest of drawers in the same bedroom.

“Green herbal material was found, as well as a set of scales.

“Another quantity of money, £ 400 in £ 50 notes, was recovered in the same bedroom.

“Also in the same chest of drawers, £1,000 in mixed notes was found.”

Urquhart told police his parents “didn’t even know” the drugs were in their house when it was searched on December 5.

Defence lawyer Michael McKeown told the court his client had been pressured into dealing to cover debts he owed for cocaine.

He said: “He’s a young person who got himself involved in the misuse of drugs.

“He accrued serious and significant debts due to his drug consumption.

“He was offered a way of repaying the debt through dealing cannabis.

“He very much regrets his involvement in this.

“He understands this is a very serious matter and the court will be considering custody. He is very fearful of receiving a custodial sentence.

“He has caused his parents and family real upset.”

Urquhart has been tagged and placed on a home curfew between 7pm and 8am for eight months.

He has also been placed under supervision for 18 months and ordered to complete 270 hours of unpaid work in 12 months.