A Skye man who was caught with cannabis and cocaine was sent to detention yesterday for 18 months.
Kyle Gillies, 20, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentence before Sheriff Margaret Neilson after previously admitting being concerned in the supply of both drugs, which had a street value of £26,700.
Cash was also recovered from the raid on May 3 at Gillies’s accommodation at a homeless hostel in Blaven Road, Portree, totalling £5,310.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley told the court that police had earlier detained Gillies on a journey from Portree to Glasgow with £7,248.37 which was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
“On May 3, police with warrants entered the premises in Blaven Road and found cash, three bars of cannabis resin, weighing 295 grams and 350 grams of cocaine.”
Other drugs paraphernalia was also found as well as notations containing names and sums of money, the sheriff was told.
Defending, Ruben Murdanaigum said his client had performed a “limited function” in the operation.
“It was not his operation, he was not in charge and did not have influence over those who were in charge,” he said.
But Sheriff Neilson disputed the lawyer’s assertion: “What? Weighing and bagging cocaine is a limited function?”
The solicitor replied: “He accepts what he did was extremely bad and cannot be justified.
“The cannabis was found in his room but the cocaine was not. It was in his former co-accused although my client’s fingerprints were on the packages.
“He was to deliver the cocaine to another person for £1,000 but that person did not turn up and he was not paid.”
Sentencing to detention backdated to May 30, the sheriff said: “Given your level of involvement, you were on three bail orders at the time and the value of drugs, detention is the only possible disposal.”