A man was caught with 16 wraps of drugs after trying unsuccessfully to swallow them as police closed in.
Ian Stewart was carrying crack cocaine and heroin when he saw the uniformed officers approaching.
Stewart has now appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted two charges of possession of a class A.
Fiscal depute Emma MacEwan told the court that Stewart, 36, was stopped at around 5pm on September 24 2020.
Man tried to swallow drugs
She said that police were on routine patrol when they spotted Stewart walking with another man.
He was seen to place a hand in his jacket pocket and take something out, which he then placed in his mouth “in an attempt to swallow them”.
Concerned for Stewart’s safety, the officers ran and tackled him at which point he spat a number of “wraps” out onto the floor.
He told the officers: “I couldn’t swallow them – I wish I did.”
Stewart was detained and 16 wraps were recovered, seven of which contained a white substance, and nine of which contained brown powder.
This was later confirmed to be 1.6g of crack cocaine and 4.8g of diamorphine. The combined street value of the drugs was estimated at £390.
When charged Stewart told officers: “They are mine, they are all mine, nothing to do with anyone else.”
Solicitor Marc Waters, for Stewart, told the court that his client had been in the grips of a “significant drug issue” at the time of the offence, but that he had since overcome his addiction with the help of a court ordered drug treatment and testing order.
He said: “It has been a bumpy road but Mr Stewart tells me he has come through it.”
Fining Stewart, of Round House Court, North Kessock, £580, Sheriff Shelagh McCall said: “I am pleased to hear you have addressed your drug problem on the drug treatment and testing order and that it is working out well for you.”
