An Arbroath food delivery driver insisted to police his wife knew nothing of the cannabis cultivation he was running in his home.
Police were granted a warrant in July 2021 to search Radek Sura’s home after receiving intelligence about a possible cultivation there.
They raided his former Millfield Road address and found plants growing in a bedroom, as well as cabling leading to another cultivation area in the attic.
In court, self-employed Sura, 39, who has drug-related convictions from his Czech Republic homeland, admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis and was ordered to complete unpaid work.
Warrant executed
Dundee Sheriff Court heard officers attended Sura’s then-home at 8.55am on July 27.
He told police: “My wife knows nothing about the plants.”
The bedroom contained a mature plant and 59 junior plants, all without buds.
Cabling leading up through the ceiling was followed and in the attic police found 12 more plants, which had buds.
Elsewhere in the house, police seized a safe containing more than £2,900.
They also found more than £700 worth of already harvested cannabis.
Fiscal depute Michael Robertson explained the plants were worth between £200 and £600 each – a maximum potential value of more than £43,000, he said.
However, Sheriff Gregor Murray pointed out only the plants in the attic with buds could have been harvested.
Stopped using
Sura, now of Arbroath‘s Priory Crescent, first appeared in court on May 25 last year and has been on bail since then, pending sentencing.
His solicitor Billy Rennie said: “The essence of this is whether the plant develops a bud.
“At the time when the police entered the premises, there was no bud on the majority of the plants.
“He gives an explanation of his own heavy use of cannabis, which was legal in the Czech Republic.
“This has caused him to stop using cannabis, that’s improved his family life.
“He’s assessed as being minimum risk.”
Prison warning
Sheriff Murray ordered Sura to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and granted forfeiture of the plants and cash.
The sheriff stressed, when sentencing, he could only consider the 12 plants with buds, the already harvested cannabis and the cash and other items seized.
He said: “I sentence you on the following basis – this took place almost three years ago and the outcome of this has caused you to make many changes.
“Had it not been for the changes in your life, you would have undoubtedly faced a custodial sentence.”
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