An Inverness restaurant manager who fled to Spain after he was snared in a police drugs sting yesterday admitted his part in a cocaine supply chain.
Marek Samczuk was extradited from Marbella where it is believed he worked Reas a bodyguard for the rich.
The 42-year-old had spent almost 19 months on the Costa Del Sol before he was brought back to this country in September on a European Arrest Warrant.
Yesterday at Inverness Sheriff Court, he appeared in handcuffs before Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood and admitted being concerned in the supply of just over one kilo of cocaine, worth about £51,000 on the street.
The Class A narcotic was of 50% purity, around four times what is normally sold in the Highlands.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley said: “He appeared on petition in this court on December 9, 2013, and was granted bail.
“But he did not attend this court when he was supposed to on February 10, 2015 and a warrant was issued for his arrest in Marbella.”
Ms Molley told the Sheriff that police had received intelligence that couriers were travelling to Inverness by bus to deliver drugs to Samczuk, formerly of Farraline Court.
A surveillance team was set up and officers saw the two men meet Samczuk before one returned to his flat. The two couriers then booked into a guest house in Midmills Road where police were watching.
Ms Molley went on: “One man was seen to dispose of a teeshirt, underwear and other items which suggested the drugs had been concealed internally.”
She added that Samczuk was seen to pass the guest house twice before meeting one of the other men outside.
“He was detained a short time later nearby and he had two Pringles crisp tubs containing white pellets and a silver set of scales.
“A search warrant was obtained for the guest house room used by the couriers and £3,520 in cash and 30 euros was found.”
Ms Molley said the two couriers were later detained.
Defending, Graeme Mann said his client had never been in trouble before.
“He went to collect a package for a friend and stood to gain a small payment for it. But suspicion had already fallen on his friend who was under surveillance and it led to it falling on my client.
“There is nothing to suggest he was engaged in a drugs network,”
Samczuk will be sentenced on December 23. He was again remanded in custody.