Drug dealer from Oban jailed for 14 months at Inverness Sheriff Court after £13k cocaine haul found during search by Police Scotland officers on Highland capital street

A DRUG dealer found in possession of cocaine with a potential street value worth more than £13,000 in Inverness has been jailed for 14 months.

Craig Duffy, from Oban, was in possession of 137.38 grams of the Class A drug when searched by police in the Highland capital’s Anderson Street on September 12 last year.

Depute fiscal Robert Weir said Duffy of Macdougall Court, Dunollie, Oban was stopped by police at 7.25pm and when asked if he was in possession of anything that could cause injury to officers before they searched him he said he had needles in his pocket and drugs in the bag he was carrying.

The bag contained white powder which was analysed and found to be cocaine.

The fiscal said it would have been valued at £4725. But he added that if the amount was sub-divided then it could fetch £13,700 on the streets.

Forty-four-year-old Duffy had previous convictions and served jail terms, the court heard.

Solicitor Marc Dickson said the father of five had been visiting his daughter in Inverness.

“He fell into company which caused him to re-engage in drug use,” said Mr Dickson. “He incurred a drug debt and he was told in no uncertain terms that debt was required to be paid.”

Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told Duffy it was a Class A drug, adding: “You know the consequences given your record.”