The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Flats inferno led to huge hidden drugs discovery
Cocaine worth £500,000 traced to man via fingerprints on packages
A huge stash of cocaine worth £500,000 was uncovered after firefighters were called out to tackle a major blaze at a Perth block of flats, a court has heard.
Emergency services were sent to the eight-storey Pomarium Street building after a blaze broke out in a ground floor bin store.
Around 30 residents had to flee their homes, while seven fire crews fought to bring the inferno under control.
The High Court in Glasgow was told police investigating the deliberately started fire uncovered a huge haul of drugs in one of the properties.
They were traced back to local man Calum Menzies, whose fingerprints were all over the packages.
The 37-year-old appeared in court via videolink and admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine at locations in Perth over a four-week period.
He was jailed for four years and eight months, with a three-year serious crime prevention order after he is released.
The fire, which brokeout just before
Christmas, was the second in a spate of similar incidents at the tower block that led to demands for action to protect residents.
The High Court heard the drug haul was discovered after firefighters forced their way inside flats to help get residents to safety.
Prosecutor Greg Farrell said a total of one-and-a-half kilos of cocaine, with a potential value of £553,100, was found in one of the properties.
When Menzies was arrested, he was in possession of a large sum of cash.
He initially denied any involvement with drugs, Mr Farrell said.
Fire crews were called to the flats four times between October and lockdown, prompting residents to demand new safety measures to keep them safe.
They said they had been living in fear, with at least two of the fires thought to have been started wilfully.
The bin store blaze on December 22 was the most alarming, and led to Perth and Kinross Council taking action to secure the premises and allay residents’ fears.
The fire was initially thought to have been caused by a dropped cigarette, but police later confirmed it appeared to have been started deliberately.
An external security system was installed while other measures including more sprinklers and smoke detectors were also considered.
Extra CCTV was also fitted in March.