A Dunfermline man caught with thousands “street valium” for dealing has been jailed for ten months.
Police raided John Healy’s home to find 61,000 etizolam tablets with a potential street value of £12,200 split into six bags.
There were also five mobile phones, three sets of scales and a ticklist.
Class C etizolam is becoming a common alternative to prescription diazepam but is commonly 10 times stronger and dangerous if mis-used.
Healy, 51, of Bleachfield Court, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.
Sheriff Krista Johnston told him: “It’s clear there was a significant amount of this drug – which is such a problem for this community – and within your possession for the purposes of being concerned in the supply.
“There was paraphernalia in your property”.
Sheriff Johnston said she took into account his age and short criminal record, which does not show previous for similar offences.
But she said a background report does not outline an appropriate alternative to custody, and a curfew order is not adequate punishment for someone who has poor health and therefore, is likely already spending a long time at home.
Sheriff Johnston jailed Healy for ten months.
Cash in safe from ‘house sale’
Prosecutor Sarah Wilkinson told the court previously police with a drugs dog searched Healy’s home in November 2022 after receiving intelligence about him dealing drugs there.
A large sum of cash was found in a bedroom safe, which Healy claimed was from the sale of his mother’s house.
Six separate bags each containing more than 10,000 white etizolam tablets were found in the living room.
The fiscal depute said a total of 61,159 tablets were discovered, with an estimated value of £12,200.
Asked by police about the tablets, Healy said he was “sitting on them”.
Cash forfeited
Speaking in mitigation this week, defence lawyer Alexander Flett had argued for a non-custodial sentence.
The solicitor said Healy, who struggles with various health conditions, tendered an early guilty plea and pointed out the offences are nearly two years old and that he has no analogous previous convictions.
The lawyer said there is no vouching for the original source of the large sum of cash found in the bedroom safe.
Sheriff Johnston granted forfeiture of the cash.
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