A dad who agreed to store and move drugs for an organised crime gang stashed tubs of heroin and cocaine in a wall just 100 metres from the entrance to public woods.
Shaun Ross was not keen to store the Class A drugs in his home, so instead hid the near £4,000 haul of substances near Clerkhill Wood in Aberdeen.
The 36-year-old, who got involved in drug dealing after falling into debt last summer, was today jailed for 18 months at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Fiscal depute Brian Young said police, who believed that organised crime gangs were operating around the area, found the stash inside two tubs within a dyke at around 10.30am on July 23 last year.
Seen ‘frantically’ searching area
A few hours later, officers on an unrelated job saw Ross arrive at 4pm and head right for the spot on the dyke where the drugs had been found.
He said: “The accused was observed frantically searching the area before walking away.
“He returned a short time later and searched the area before leaving again.”
A forensic examination of the first tub found it contained 41.96 grams of heroin valued at £960, with a potential street value of £2,070. and 31.52 grams of cocaine valued at £1,230 and with a maximum street value of £3,150.
The second tub contained 2.61 grams of heroin, worth £80 and capable of fetching £130.
Ross’s DNA was also found on some of the knots on the bags.
Didn’t want to take drugs into home
He admitted two charges of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.
Defence agent Liam McAllister said Ross was a doting dad and he was driven to get involved with the criminals due to being in a “perilous financial position”.
“Mr Ross’s position is that he was asked to assist in the storing of these substances,” he said. “That’s exactly what took place. That’s the extent of his involvement in this operation.
“The most frustrating thing for all concerned is that his reward for doing this was none.”
‘Catastrophic and foolish decision’
The solicitor added that the “only thing that mattered” to his client was his young daughter, for whom he had sole care for part of the week.
“It’s her that he has let down by doing this and that eats him up inside. That’s what he has to live with,” he said.
He added that Ross made a “conscious decision” not to take the drugs into his home for the sake of his daughter and that’s why the “unusual situation” arose where the drugs were found in a public place.
“It was a limited but stupid role that he played and one that he deeply regrets,” Mr McAllister said. “It was a catastrophic and foolish decision.”
No alternative to jail
Sheriff Graham Buchanan said that Ross had previously served five months in prison for supplying heroin in 2020 and before that was jailed for 30 months following a High Court conviction for violent crime.
“It seems that on this occasion you were persuaded to assist in a drug supply operation in relation to two Class A drugs, namely heroin and cocaine,” he told Ross.
“I am afraid to say that my view is, in light of your previous convictions. there no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
The sheriff jailed Ross, of Balnagask Circle, Aberdeen, for 18 months.
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