Two drug dealers were caught with £75,000 of heroin in Peterhead after being snared by police as they met up to do business.
Ryan Colquhoun and Matthew Mills were caught in the forecourt of the Esso garage in the town’s South Road on July 15 this year as they were about to do a deal.
Edinburgh High Court heard yesterday that the heroin had a maximum of £75,000, and police also confiscated £3,405 cash from the motor being used by the pair.
Officers then raided Mill’s home in the town’s Park Lane, and found more of the Class A drug worth £5,380 there, along with cocaine worth £260 and £660 in cash.
Advocate depute Jane Farquharson, prosecuting, told the court Mills – who has a previous high court conviction for assault and robbery – had a drugs problem.
She said that although Colquhoun made no comment during his police interview, Mills had admitted his involvement and said it was an “escalated problem” due to both his and his partner’s habit.
She added: “He stated that he was in debt to a Pakistani male known to him as ‘Khan’ for drugs supplied to them and for a car that had been provided by Khan for his use and damaged by his brother whilst he was in prison.
“He indicated that he was put under pressure by Khan who was phoning him and threatening him and sending threatening text messages directed at both he and his partner too.
“He advised police that in exchange for being concerned in the supplying of drugs he was given drugs for his own use.”
Mills, a prisoner at HMP Grampian, yesterday pleaded guilty to being involved in the supply of cocaine and heroin between June 16 and July 15, while Colquhoun, of Livingston, West Lothian, admitted being involved in the supply of heroin on July 15.
Judge Lord Burns deferred sentence for background reports. The pair will return to the High Court in Edinburgh on December 22.