Inverness drug-dealer caught after neighbours told police about cannabis smell
The strong smell of cannabis led to neighbours complaining to police about the stench and led officers to catch an Inverness man who had a stash of drugs.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that a raid was carried out by police on 28-year-old Ryan Anderson's house in Esk Road, Inverness on May 21, 2023 and he invited them in.
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Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald: "The officers noticed a large glass jar of herbal substance on a table and the accused said he had more in a black holdall.
"It contained a dozen packages of herbal substance."
She added that more bags and a small jar of cannabis were recovered including drug paraphernalia like plastic zipped bags, a grinder, scales etc.
In total, 466.36 grams of cannabis were seized and they had a value of between £3250 and £7275.
Anderson admitted being concerned in the supply of the class B drug.
Sentence had been deferred for a background report and after reading it and hearing from defence solicitor Duncan Henderson, Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald decided against jailing Anderson.
Mr Henderson told the court: "It is accepted that however a minor role his was, it was still an important part of a drugs operation."
Sheriff Macdonald told Anderson: "This is very foolish getting involved in this sort of thing. Cannabis can be smelt a mile away and I am sure everyone around knew what you were doing. These things can get you sent to jail.
"You should have known better."
Anderson was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work and placed under social work supervision for two years as an alternative to custody, but the sheriff warned him he would be jailed of he didn't fully comply.
