A drug-dealer who had £2.4 million worth of cocaine in his car sped off away from police in Dundee at 80mph on deflated tyres.
Dylan Nicol, 24, tried to avoid arrest by breaking the speed limit on the A90 and Kingsway.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how officers deployed a stinger device on the road but Nicol, of Dundee, kept driving.
Prosecutor Brian Gill KC told judge Lady Hood at the High Court in Edinburgh even after Nicol’s Volkswagen Golf eventually came to a stop, he ran from officers before they finally caught him.
Detectives quickly discovered why Nicol was so keen to avoid detection – his cocaine stash could have netted dealers a near-£2.5million pay day.
Kingsway stinger
Describing the moments leading up to Nicol’s arrest on February 19 2024, Mr Gill said the accused had been travelling from Perth back to his home city.
“When the accused was near Longforgan, the officers following him in three marked cars surrounded his moving car, activating their blue lights and signalled him to stop.
“The accused accelerated and swerved sharply to the right causing the following officers to brake harshly to avoid a collision.
“The officers started to chase the accused along the A90.
“He was driving at speeds up to 120mph and swerving in and out of traffic.
“The officers who were following him then deployed the stinger, puncturing the accused’s tyres.
“The accused continued to drive along the Kingsway at approximately 80 miles per hour.”
Nicol, currently a prisoner at HMP Perth, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Drugs worth nearly £2.5million
Mr Gill told the court that after Nicol’s car stopped, he got out and tried to run away but was captured shortly afterwards.
Police examined the car interior and found he had been transporting cocaine.
Specialist drugs squad detectives found the cocaine had a purity of 79-to-80% – the average purity of cocaine in Tayside at the time was 42-to-43%.
Mr Gill told Lady Hood if dealers took Nicol’s drugs and divided it into gram deals at the average purity cocaine was selling for, they could have netted £2,447,900.
The court also heard Nicol had previous convictions for road traffic offences.
Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson KC said the court would have to obtain a report on his client’s background before he could be sentenced and made no motion for bail.
Lady Hood deferred sentence until November and fixed a hearing for March under the proceeds of crime act so prosecutors can seize the accused’s ill gotten gains.
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