A university student who turned to drug dealing was caught with a haul of cannabis and cocaine worth nearly £20,000 in his flat.
Duncan Scott was completing a business degree at Abertay University when he started making money peddling drugs around Dundee.
Members of the student’s family wept in court as he admitted he had secretly been dealing on the side for more than a year.
Scott, 24, admitted selling a compound known as 2CB between June 13 2019 and October 31 2020.
He was selling it as ecstasy.
He also admitted dealing cannabis from December 31 2019 and cocaine from March 5 2020, until he was caught on Halloween 2020.
Spotted during police patrol
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan told Dundee Sheriff Court: “He was a business student at Abertay University at the time of the offences.
“He lived on his own in Perth Road, Dundee.
“Officers were doing after dark patrols in the city when they observed a vehicle turn into a car park.
“It was seen to be parked with the engine running and a male heading towards it.
“He turned around upon seeing the arrival of the police.”
The car was being driven by former co-accused, Umar Kamran, 22 and smelled strongly of cannabis when officers approached.
Kamran had not guilty pleas accepted by the Crown.
The officers found more than £1,000 cash on Scott, who was in the passenger seat, along with a significant haul of cocaine and cannabis.
There was also a set of scales in the car.
Scott immediately confessed: “I’m studying at Abertay University and staying on my own.
“If you go there you will find half a kilo of cannabis and other stuff.”
Ramped up operation
During a search of the property, detectives recovered cannabis worth £12,277, cocaine worth £4,590 and 165 tablets being sold as ecstasy at £10 each.
It was during an examination of Scott’s phone it emerged he had been ramping up his dealing operation from ecstasy, to also include cannabis and then cocaine.
Solicitor Anika Jethwa, defending, told the court Scott had no previous criminal record and sentence was deferred for social work reports.
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael granted Scott bail.
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