A delivery driver who grew cannabis in his van and lock-up garage created a crop with a potential street value of £25,000.
Amazon driver Scott Downie was caught when the owner of the garage near Forfar noticed the unit was racking up huge electricity bills for a storage space.
When officers raided the storage unit they discovered the cannabis farm, along with hundreds of ecstasy tablets and an illicit bullet cartridge.
Lock-up owner’s suspicions
Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion said a farm owner rented out the garage to Downie in April 2020 and he was given the only spare key.
She told Dundee Sheriff Court: “The light was constantly illuminated and the electricity usage was exceptionally high.
“Due to his increasing suspicion he got access and saw what he believed to be a cannabis cultivation in the vehicle and throughout the unit.
“He took photos on his mobile phone and contacted police.
“When they arrived it was apparent the cannabis cultivation was still in operation.
“The accused attended and identified himself as renter of the garage.”
Downie told the police: “All my stuff is in there.”
Cash and drugs recovered
He was found with more than £1,000 in cash in his jeans pocket and officers recovered 219 ecstasy tablets and 32 cannabis plants in his Vauxhall Vivaro.
They also found some harvested cannabis, along with a further 11 mature plants and 32 seedlings, spread throughout the garage.
Ms Mannion told the court the cannabis crop had a potential value of £25,800 and the ecstasy was worth £660.
Downie, 48, from Aberdeen, admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis between May 7 and July 7 2020, and of ecstasy on July 5.
He also admitted having a bullet cartridge when the lock-up at the farm near Forfar was raided by police.
Sentence was deferred for reports.
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