Inverness police stop 21-year-old who had crack pipe in vehicle
Police stopped a car in Inverness's Leachkin area for a routine check and snared a 21-year-old drug dealer with cocaine and cash totalling almost £2000 after seeing a crack pipe in the vehicle.
Luca Benchea, described as a remand prisoner at Barlinnie, was appearing by video at Inverness Sheriff Court after earlier admitting being concerned in the supply of the Class A narcotic on December 4.
Sentence had been deferred for a background report.
Fiscal depute Emily Hood previously told the court: "Officers suspected he was under the influence of drugs and a search was carried out."
Ms Hood said bags of white powder and £160 in cash were recovered. Then a search of Benchea found a key for an Inverness hotel room and officers went there.
The prosecutor said they got permission to search the room after being told that Benchea had been resident there but was no longer welcome.
A total of 18 zip-sealed bags containing cocaine were recovered in both searches with a street value of up to £1800. Sheriff Ian Cruickshank confiscated the drugs and cash and jailed Benchea for a year.
He accepted that Benchea was "a small cog in the operation" and backdated the sentence to December 5 last year when Benchea was remanded in custody.
