A Perth man was caught with amphetamines worth up to £90,000 after allowing his van to be used to hide drugs.
Calum Menzies was found to have more than 300g of the class B drug in the spare wheel compartment of his Ford Transit van.
At Perth Sheriff Court on Monday, Menzies pleaded guilty to possessing amphetamines while at a car park on Breadalbane Terrace, Perth, on December 31.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte told the court “police intelligence” led officers to search Menzies’ van.
She said: “At 5pm, officers with a search warrant for the vehicle located it in a car park in Breadalbane Terrace, Perth. It was taken to Perthshire Recovery Services where it was forensically examined.
“The vehicle was searched by several officers and by a police dog called Max.”
During the search a bag containing 312.4g of amphetamine was discovered.
The initial value placed on the bundle by the Crown was £500 but Ms Whyte told Perth Sheriff Court that the purity of the drugs was far higher than would be found on the streets.
She said experts had ascertained the purity was about 29%, whereas in Tayside the normal purity was closer to 1%. If cut to this purity then the bundle would have a street value of £90,000, she said.
Solicitor George Mathers, defending, disputed the value of the drugs, saying his experts put the normal purity at closer to 4%, making the street value about £9,000.
He said while Menzies was aware the drugs were in the vehicle he was not responsible for putting it there.
He said: “Pressure was brought to bear on him by certain individuals. He was told to leave the vehicle in a certain place on a certain day.
“He did not drive it there himself as his licence had been suspended. Mr Menzies did know that it (the drug) was going to be there.
“He had not handled it, seen it or had anything to do with it physically but he did know it would be there. He was told it was worth £900 but he had no idea it could be bulked out to the level as has been mentioned.”
Sheriff Michael Fletcher ruled that as the accused had admitted possessing the drug, and not to supplying it, its value was unimportant.
He deferred sentence on Menzies, a prisoner at Perth, until May for reports.