A former squaddie involved in a drugs and dirty money organised crime operation was arrested after delivering nearly a kilo of cocaine to Dundee.
Dean Bell, 35, was snared after an encrypted phone network was breached by police.
Bell discussed the purchase and movement of drugs with other members of an organised crime group.
He also threatened to assault one of his associate’s parents if they “grassed” to police after they were caught.
Bell pled guilty last week at the High Court in Glasgow to being involved in serious organised crime.
The charges span between September 2019 and June 2020.
Arrested leaving Dundee
The court heard Bell was a member of a serious organised crime group responsible for supplying large volumes of drugs in Scotland.
This included to an organised crime group in Dundee, where Bell associated with convicted drugs trafficker George McLean.
Bell, of Chryston, North Lanarkshire, arranged with McLean to have 997 grammes of cocaine delivered to an address in Dundee.
Prosecutor Paul Kearney KC said: “The item recovered was of such a weight and value that this could have only have been for onward supply and not personal use.
“This was valued at £50,000.
“£12,040 in cash was recovered from a motor vehicle that McLean was driving when he was detained in October 2019 on the way back from the drugs drop off.”
Cash, phones and drugs seized
A warrant for Bell’s home was granted and officers recovered £700 in cash as well as two encrypted phones.
Pava spray was also found inside a Volkswagen Caddy vehicle parked at the property.
Packaging with traces of heroin were discovered within the vehicle.
Messages from the encrypted phones discussed purchase, preparation and supply of drugs and the distribution and collection of money.
Bell was noted to discuss sourcing and distribution of multi kilos of heroin and cocaine, as well as large quantities of amphetamine tablets and cannabis.
Using the screen name Olivescalp, he was in contact with a number of associates with encrypted devices.
He discussed sourcing 250 grammes of cocaine and 1.5 kilos of heroin with an associate with the screen name Touchyhuman.
The pair also spoke about collecting £9,000 cash and an outstanding bill for benzodiazepine tablets.
‘Grass’ threats
Police stopped an associate in a van on March 17 2020 with cocaine, street Valium and £24,540 cash inside.
Bell discussed the arrest with Touchyhuman stating: “Any c*** that grasses is getting chopped to f*** tell him mouth shut and take whatever happens.
“It is what it is man up and take it on the chin, it’s only money, nothing serious but need to watch they will come 100%.
“Tell him he mentions my name I will mame (sic) him for life and slash his ma or da.”
Army service
John Scullion KC, defending, told the court his client had managed to leave the crime group for employment before being caught.
He said: “He served in the army for a number of years and has a significant employment history.
“He became involved in the organised crime group which resulted in these offences.
“These matters were uncovered followed from analysis of the data recovered during Operation Kinetic which is why the dates are of some age.”
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Judge Lord Armstrong, who remanded Bell in custody meantime.
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