Savvy cops who discovered £40,000 of drugs hidden in an Aberdeen nature reserve installed electronic devices to snare the dealers.
Adam Ross, 30, and Nico Neri-Ross, 31, were frequently spotted heading into the woodland after officers – acting on intelligence – placed the pair under surveillance.
They’d concealed cocaine and heroin underneath branches in the Gramps, however, a police sniffer dog named Hamish soon traced their valuable stash.
Officers then hatched a plan to swap the substances with cameras and microphones in a bid to outsmart the drug-dealing duo.
Fiscal depute David Rogers told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that Police Scotland was tipped off that Ross and Neri-Ross were involved in the supply of drugs on behalf of an organised crime gang.
Intelligence also indicated the group was using the area, known as the Gramps, in Kincorth as a “rural stash” for drugs.
A surveillance operation was carried out and officers noticed both Neri-Ross and Ross repeatedly entering the Gramps and disappearing.
It was thought they were accessing the narcotics.
Just before 10am on March 25 2022, police sniffer dog Hamish, along with his handler, was sent to the Gramps woodland.
Beyond a barbed wire fence, Hamish detected something in black packaging partially buried under foliage.
The package, believed to contain drugs, was photographed and then seized.
In its place, officers left a camera and microphone which would later capture evidence of the shocked duo returning to their stash.
The drugs recovered from the hideaway included 558.6g of heroin worth up to £21,460 and 207.53g of cocaine worth up to £20,740.
Search warrants were also executed at each of the accused’s home addresses.
A wrap with a nominal value was recovered at Neri-Ross’ home, while 17.1g of heroin worth £880 was seized from Ross’ place.
Pair entered guilty pleas after police interviews
During interview, Ross denied being involved in the supply of controlled drugs and denied being within the area of the Kincorth Hill Nature Reserve during the time in question.
He claimed the heroin discovered at his home was found within a cigarette packet at Duthie Park and he was unaware of what it was and that he planned to dispose of it.
However, Ross, of Gardner Crescent, Aberdeen, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin between the dates of March 23 and 29 2022.
And Neri-Ross, of Balnagask Road, Aberdeen, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin between the dates of February 16 and March 29 2022.
Defence agent Tony Burgess, representing Neri-Ross, said his client had moved to a new area and was told by someone to whom he had been in debt that it was “sold” to others who were now looking for him.
He explained: “A short time before this incident, he was approached by that individual and told that debt needed to be repaid.
“He was working at the time and volunteered money, but the person concerned felt there was more value for him in making Mr Neri-Ross become part of the supply chain.”
‘Stuck in the clutches’ of debtors
Mr Burgess said Neri-Ross was bundled into a car and given a package to deliver to someone.
After being threatened, he took the package and delivered it to someone in another vehicle as directed.
The lawyer went on: “He got into that car and was asked if the drugs were in the bag he had.
“He said, ‘Yes’ and at that, he was assaulted and thrown out of that car.
“As a consequence of that, the person who set that up said the debt increased from £400 or £500 to £4,000 – the value of the drugs.
“No mention had been made of him having to collect money from these people. He found himself stuck in the clutches of this individual.”
Mr Burgess said the threats then escalated to being against his client’s family as well.
He continued: “The police, using intelligence, found the stash and, quite properly, removed it and planted microphones and cameras and Mr Neri-Ross was caught on that returning in a blind panic at there being no drugs.
“Of course, he’s terrified the debt is going to escalate out of all proportion that he could ever make amends for.”
Mr Burgess said Neri-Ross had had a baby not long before the incident and that was his motivation to now stay out of trouble.
Tearful accused told partner ‘I’m so sorry’
Solicitor David Sutherland, representing Ross, said his client’s situation was somewhat different.
“It’s quite clearly a deliberate choice to become involved, Mr Sutherland told the court, adding: “It’s a case of somebody who was previously abusing drugs deciding to fund his own habit by moving on to sell drugs.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told both accused persons: “I’m not persuaded it’s appropriate to deal with this by way of a community disposal.”
She jailed Neri-Ross for 15 months and Ross for 20 months.
Reacting to the sentence, Neri-Ross began to cry, turned to his partner in the public gallery and tearfully said: “I’m so sorry.”
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