An Aberdeen woman has avoided a prison sentence after her noisy dog drew police to her home where they discovered £23,000 of cannabis.
Chloe Urquieta, 23, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where she admitted having a plastic bag filled with cannabis in a cupboard when police forced entry to her property in the Torry area of the city.
Urquieta, also known as Chloe McLaughlin, was out when officers were called to her home in the early hours of the morning due to reports of a dog in distress.
Police forced entry
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told the court that at around 3.20am on June 17 2022, police were called to an address on Walker Road after they received a call about a dog constantly barking and howling.
Two constables attended and heard the dog in a distressed state and detected a “strange smell” coming from within the property, which had its lights on but was locked.
Due to the occupier of the flat being unable to be identified, officers forced entry to check on the dog’s welfare.
Upon entering the property, they found the dog safe and well and the flat empty.
“The constables searched for documentation to identify the tenant, so they could be contacted regarding the welfare issues of the dog,” Ms Martin said.
“One officer opened a cupboard within the living room and a strong smell of cannabis was detected.
“Within the cupboard there was a carrier bag containing a large quantity of cannabis bud.
“There were two holdalls, one locked with a padlock. This holdall had a strong smell of cannabis emanating from within and they could feel what they believe to be cannabis bud within.”
The officers looked around and found drug-related paraphernalia on the living room table, such as electronic scales, cling film and self-seal bags.
They stopped searching the address and a “locus protection” was put on.
More than a kilogram of cannabis found
Following the execution of a search warrant, about 1.39 kilograms of cannabis was seized with a potential total street value of £23,135.
Urquieta returned home during the search of her property and was cautioned and arrested.
In the dock, Urquieta pleaded guilty to one charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
Defence solicitor Laura Gracie told the court that her client worked two jobs in order to make ends meet.
“She is a genuine first offender,” Ms Gracie said.
“My client had a difficult upbringing, but she has managed to move past that and put it behind her.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Ian Wallace sentenced Urquieta, of Walker Road, Aberdeen, to a community payback order with supervision for 12 months and was ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work in the community.
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