Cannabis dealer jailed

A MAN who was stopped by police after he picked up a package from a post office containing over £2,000-worth of cannabis has been jailed for six months.

Shaun Irvine, of Scalloway’s Undirhoull, previously admitted at Lerwick Sheriff Court to being concerned in the supply of the class B drug on or between 30 January and 11 November last year.

The offence took place at his home address, Lerwick’s Holmsgarth Road and elsewhere.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie previously told Lerwick Sheriff Court that police were monitoring the 27 year old in an “intelligence-led operation” and stopped him after he collected a package, which contained 121 grams of cannabis with a value of £2,031.

Police also seized a mobile phone containing a “significant” amount of messages revealing he was selling to others and had been involved in sales of around £7,000-worth of the drug in total.

At the court on Wednesday, defence agent Michael Chapman said his client accepted that he involved in the sourcing and distribution of cannabis to “associates” – not a wider network of people.

The solicitor said Irvine, who is a “habitual user” of the class B drug, did not gain financially and instead was paid back in cannabis.

Sheriff Philip Mann said “dealing in drugs is a very serious” offence and one which can have “serious consequences to society”.

He said that Irvine had “taken a step beyond” possessing drugs by involving himself in the supply of cannabis.