Court / Police found heroin worth thousands after stopping car for noisy exhaust

POLICE found more than £6,000 worth of heroin inside a car in Lerwick after initially stopping the vehicle for a noisy exhaust, court has heard.

Kris McLean, of Lochore, admitted being concerned in the supply of diamorphine in the town on 19 June last year when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday.

The 28-year-old also pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and drug-driving.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said McLean, who had no connection to Shetland, was stopped on Commercial Road by police motorcyclists.

They stopped him for a noisy exhaust, but once they started engaging with the driver they became suspicious.

Police undertook a saliva drug test and that found the presence of cocaine, the court heard.

McLean was arrested, and police later searched his car. Officers found a hold-all bag which contained 34 wraps of diamorphine inside.

The total weight was around 243 grams, and the combined value was between £6,100 and £7,480.

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Less than two grams of cocaine worth £150 was also recovered.

McLean pleaded guilty to driving with 800 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine and 119 microgrammes of cocaine in one litre of blood – the limits are 50 and ten respectively.

The 28-year-old also admitted driving with no insurance.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank called for a criminal justice social work report to be prepared and adjourned the case until 19 April, when the defence is due to give mitigation.

He disqualified McLean from driving in the interim period, and granted forfeiture of all items seized by police.