Two men snared by police in Dundee’s Hilltown transferring nearly a kilo of cannabis have been sentenced.
Lithuanian duo Aurimas Zabiela and Adomas Kirdulis both previously appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court to admit possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Officers also seized more than £13,000 cash from the pair, along with a payment list.
Both were placed on curfew and ordered to complete unpaid work.
‘Serious offence’
Zabiela, 53, of Salisbury Street in Kirkcaldy, and 33-year-old Kirdulis, of Linkwood Road in Airdrie, appeared in the dock together.
Each previously admitted that on March 29 last year, they had cannabis on Sibbald Street with the intention of supplying it.
At the time, self-employed Kirdulis was on a bail order relating to proceedings in the Falkirk area.
Chef Zabiela’s solicitor Kerr Sneddon said: “He has nothing else outstanding.
“He has stable accommodation in Kirkcaldy where he lives with his wife.
“He’s made some changes in terms of stopping smoking cannabis and stopping being involved in the possession of same.”
Kirdulis’s solicitor added: “He had no previous convictions on March 29 (2023).
“It is, at the very least, unfortunate that he has found himself in such a compromising situation.
“He had suspicions there was something afoot.”
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael imposed restriction of liberty orders lasting four months and ordered each to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff said: “This is a serious offence although the value of the drugs is relatively low.”
Cash and drugs uncovered
At an earlier hearing, fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie explained police had received intelligence and attended at the cul-de-sac in Sibbald Street at around 4.15pm on March 29 last year.
Officers saw Kirdulis moving a large white plastic bag from his car into Zabiela’s.
Police intervened and found the back was full of herbal matter and had £700 cash inside.
In Kirdulis’s Mondeo, they found another £9,500 in cash and on his person they found bundles of cash totalling £2,000, £560 and £520.
They also found a payment list.
Police seized £610 from Zabiela.
The drugs, which later tested positive for cannabis, weighed 983.8g and were valued at up to £6,000 if sold by the kilo.
However, Ms Ritchie explained the haul could have fetched £8,750 in ounce deals and five figures if sold in smaller deals still.
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