A veteran drugs trafficker who revealed he has spent 30 years in the illicit trade is behind bars after he was caught with cocaine worth £400,000.
Anthony Johnson, 64, became the target for a surveillance operation as a result of intelligence received by police before the haul of drugs was recovered, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.
Advocate depute Brian Gill KC told the court: “He was acting as a high level courier in a cocaine supply network.”
On September 19 last year he was seen driving a vehicle that stopped in the Hilltown, where another man approached and was given a rucksack.
Police stopped the other man and found the rucksack contained three packages, each containing a kilo of the Class A drug.
A fourth kilo of cocaine was discovered during a search of the van used by Johnson.
Mr Gill said if each kilo was broken down into gram deals, a maximum value for the drugs was £400,000.
Johnson, from Ghana, said he had earlier been in Glasgow.
The prosecutor said he was asked by an interviewing officer how long he had been doing this for and replied: “30 years. No comment.”
The court heard Johnson, of Hilltown Terrace, was previously jailed for being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin and for dangerous driving.
He admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine on September 19 last year at St Salvador Street and Glamis Street, in Dundee.
The judge, Lord Ericht, adjourned sentence on him for the preparation of a background report. Johnson, who was on bail, was remanded.
Murder bid
A career criminal who tried to murder a man in Dundee by driving and reversing a car over him has been jailed for seven years and four months. Marley Williams, 24, tried to kill his victim in the early hours of July 9 2024 in the Hilltown.
£70k of cannabis
A Fife dealer caught with nearly £70,000 worth of cannabis has been jailed for 18 months.
Kyle McFarlane, 27, was found with about 6.5 kilos of the class B drug at his home in Townhill, Dunfermline.
He appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to being concerned in the supplying of cannabis between August 27 2021 and March 3 2022 at an address in Loch Street or elsewhere.
Sheriff Krista Johnston told McFarlane she considered it to be a “very grave example” of someone involving themselves in the dealing of cannabis.
The court heard previously police raided McFarlane’s Loch Street address early on March 3 2022 and several large bags of cannabis were found in kitchen cupboards.
A total 6.45Kg of cannabis was recovered, with an estimated value of between £42,990 and £67,220, depending on how it was packaged for sale.
McFarlane’s DNA and fingerprints were found on numerous bags.
His phone was found to contain videos that appeared to show the quantity and quality of the drugs and several messages indicating commercial supply of specific types of cannabis.
Defence lawyer Ian Beatson said first offender McFarlane, who previously worked in the construction industry, began misusing cannabis when he was 13 after he started “hanging out” in parks to avoid going home.
The solicitor said his client was subject to a “fairly strict upbringing” and had issues with his father, described as a former discipline sergeant in the Scots Guards.
Mr Beatson said McFarlane began dealing drugs to repay debts and has taken steps to deal with drug issues and is no longer smoking cannabis.
Drove past lollipop lady
A pensioner ran down a schoolgirl in Angus as a lollipop lady helped pupils across the road. At Forfar Sheriff Court, David Smith, 79, pled guilty to careless driving in Edzell in December 2023.
Attitude problem
A driver who led police on a chase through a Dundee park claimed he could not see blue lights flashing behind him.
Rhys Ellington‘s attitude was slated by a sheriff after he gave differing accounts about his dangerous driving on May 17 last year.
The 24-year-old previously admitted failing to stop for police, driving through a red light and mounting a grass area when he drove from Strathmore Avenue, via Camperdown Park, before being lost to sight in the Ardler area.
He also drove without a licence or a valid insurance policy.
However, despite his previous guilty pleas, Ellington claimed he was not aware the police were pursuing him because it was a sunny day.
He later changed his tune and said he was aware of the sirens behind him.
Ellington, of Hazlehead Way, also breached a community payback order, completing only nine out of 100 hours of unpaid work.
Sheriff John Rafferty’s interpretation of the breach report was Ellington “doesn’t like to get up in the morning”.
New father Ellington shook his head while sitting in the dock at Dundee Sheriff Court and his solicitor apologised on his behalf.
Ellington was ordered to carry out a total of 200 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for 12 months as well as being placed on supervision for 12 months.
Sheriff Rafferty added: “Your attitude to the court orders is appalling.
“Your attitude in court today has been extremely unsatisfactory. Your body language… was not satisfactory.
“It’s my earnest hope you engage with the supervision, complete the hours and stop offending and you can get on with something worthwhile in life, which is being a father and gaining employment.”
Time up for dealer
A cocaine dealer from Dundee who was hit with a hefty fine after being spared a prison term has had his £25,000 Rolex seized by prosecutors. Thomas Gray was caught with almost £20,000 worth of the Class A drug when police raided his address on Charleston Drive and has now been hit with proceeds of crime action.
‘Found axe in street’
A 29-year-old man dropped an axe from his jacket as he was chased in Kirkcaldy by police.
Liam McGarvie appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court by video link to prison to plead guilty to carrying the two weapons in the town’s High Street and Oswald Wynd on November 8 last year.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith told the court that around 1.30am that morning, public space CCTV cameras picked up McGarvie walking on the high street with a weapon.
Detectives in the area traced McGarvie on Oswald Wynd and he was caught after a
“very short foot chase, during which an axe-style weapon fell from the accused’s jacket”.
A Stanley Knife was found in his jacket pocket.
Defence lawyer Brian Black said McGarvie told him he had found the axe in “the vicinity” and initially thought the Stanley knife did not have a blade on it but it was stupid of him to carry it.
Mr Black said McGarvie advised he had split up with his partner at the time and was drinking too much and his drinking got out of control.
He said he has become motivated in prison to change his life and is going to the gym every day, attending a recovery café, and is involved in education with the aim to go to college and “have a life free from violence”.
Sheriff James Williamson noted it is McGarvie’s second conviction for possession of an offensive weapon and jailed him for 20 months, backdated to December 20 last year.
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