Cops seized 700 ‘Blue Plague’ pills in raid on drug dealer

A drug dealer was nabbed with more than 700 killer ‘ Blue Plague’ pills stashed at his home.

James Fadian, 42, hid the deadly haul in two- dozen separate bags stashed around his flat.

Cops made the find during a targeted raid to disrupt the trade of etizolam tablets linked to a swathe of deaths across the country.

Fadian admitted supplying the Class- C drug during a hearing at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Prosecutor Emma Jeffrey revealed how police acted after intelligence suggested drug dealing from the property.

She said: “Police attended with a search warrant.

“There was no persons present within.

“A search was carried out. “Twenty- four individual wraps containing white tablets were recovered from the bottom drawer of a unit.

“The items were seized and later examined.

“Some 720 tablets were analysed and found to contain etizolam.

“The Stop Unit gave an estimated value of £320.

“It was their opinion the circumstances indicated intent to supply.”

Police swooped on Paisley’s Dunn Street for afternoon raid.

They turned over the property and unearthed 720 tablets.

Officers bagged the pills and sent them for testing after the find shortly before 2pm on July 5.

Experts revealed they contained eitizolam – flogged as street Valium.

They have been dubbed the ‘Blue Plague’ after they were linked to scores of deaths across Scotland.

The pills can be lethal when mixed with other drugs or alcohol.

Defence lawyer Kirsty McGeehan revealed Fadian had battled his own drug addiction.

She said: “He has a lengthy schedule of previous convictions.

“A Drug Treatment and Testing Order might be useful to him.”

The solicitor appealed for Fadian to be put on a courtordered rehab programme.

He would be required to meet social workers and undertake a schedule of drug testing.

The scheme is designed to wean addicts off drugs.

Sheriff Lindsey Kooner ordered Fadian to be screened for eligibility for a placement.

She said: “Wi t h o u t prejudice to the final disposal, Mrs McGeehan has asked me to consider the terms of the report.

“It considers a possible Drug Treatment and Testing Order might be appropriate.

“I am prepared to defer sentence for that assessment to take place.

“You will be given a date you must attend.

“You can expect to have more than one appointment with the social work department.”

Four men were caged last December for a total of 19 years after running a massive etizolam factory in the town.

Businessmen Scott McGaw, 33, and Eric Reid, 45, ran the plant in Back Sneddon Street.

They signed up Harry Ingle, 41, and assistant Nick Conway, 45, to feed chemicals into a massive pill press at a Breaking Bad-style factory, which could turn out 250,000 blue, yellow and white pills an hour.

The operation ran between 2016 and 2017 and was the biggest home production of drugs in Scottish legal history.

Police found 1,676,094 etizolam pills, with a maximum street value of £ 1.67m, after targeting the set-up.

Fadian has been ordered to return to the dock for sentencing on September 20.