The owner of a Dundee head shop claims he gave a drug dealer the chance to “turn his life around”.
Nikolas Brown, 24, of Laing Place, was recently jailed after he admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis and MDMA back in September.
His friend of 14 years, Liam Cunningham, said he persuaded Brown to “change his life” following his arrest.
Liam said offered his friend a job at his shop Smokey Joe’s head shop on Strathmartine Road but encouraged him to stop selling illegal drugs.
The 25-year-old now plans to stick by his employee and keep his job open for him for when he comes out of jail.
He has also vowed to keep his shop open despite claiming that Dundee City Council has been surveilling the premises – a claim the local authority has denied.
Liam explained: “I’ve known Nik for 14 years and when I was informed that he’d been arrested, and of the extent of his actions, I took him for a pint.
“We talked and decided that the best option was not to touch illegal drugs again and to come and work for me instead.
“It was a chance for him to settle down and turn his life around a bit.
“He knows that what he did was stupid and has kept his word.
“He’s been working for me and saving up money while waiting to be sentenced, and he’ll still have a job here when he comes out of jail.
“Nik wouldn’t even hurt a fly – I’ll stand by him.
“I also want people to know that this shop will remain open, even though I’ve had council people round.
“There isn’t a single leaf of cannabis here.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said that the local authority is not surveilling Smokey Joe’s.
The shop previously came under fire for its links to a group called the Dundee Cannabis Collective, which has been criticised for “encouraging” drug use.
But Liam said that they merely “provide advice about medical cannabis oil”.
Brown pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis and MDMA at his home on September 1 last year.
Fire crews had forced entry into his flat to extinguish a small kitchen fire, and spotted a quantity of cannabis and rolls of money.
Later, police discovered drug paraphernalia including grinders, four sets of scales, bags and a tick list containing the names of buyers, £9,865 in cash and 2,354 grammes of cannabis with a potential illicit street value of more than £37,000.
