Scalloway drug supplier jailed for three and a half years

A long-term drug user is beginning a prison sentence of three and a half years after he admitted supplying heroin.

Allan Maclean, 47, of Scalloway, was trying to pay off drug debts when he agreed to wait for a package containing over £12,000-worth of the Class A substance at an address in Lerwick’s Hoofields on 6th July.

But the repeat offender was arrested after police received intelligence about an organised crime group from Easter Ross who were using the address as a drop-off point for the drugs. The address had been made vacant by the imprisonment of its occupant.

A controlled delivery was carried out once a “suspect” package was discovered. It was later found to contained 124.93 grammes of heroin with a street value of £12,400.

On arrest, Maclean was said to have told “a tissue of lies” about his involvement. However, he admitted the supply charge when appearing from custody before sheriff Philip Mann this morning.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said Maclean was found in the address making a call on one of two mobile phones in his possession.

He said no incriminating texts were found when the phones were “interrogated”, but calls received had been from locals involved in the drugs scene.

“He was interviewed by the police, and provided police with no assistance at all. During the interview he gave a tissue of lies from start to finish. But he was only serving to dig himself deeper into a hole,” the fiscal said.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Maclean was trying to pay off drug debts of thousands of pounds when he carried out the offence.

He said Maclean was told to go to the address and wait for the package. He was ordered not to open it, and did not stand to personally benefit from the venture – apart from partially paying off what he owed.

Mr Allan said Maclean was unemployed at the time of the offence, but had organised a job to go fishing.
He said Maclean had been a heroin addict for 18 to 19 years, which had been a struggle for him.

Mr Allan added there had been times when Maclean had managed to stay away from drugs. He had attended a rehabilitation centre in Bristol for an eight-month period but he had lapsed back into drug use after his mother died.

He said Maclean had managed to stay clean while at sea, and his ultimate aim was to get back into the fishing industry.

Mr Allan said: “He knows this drug has been a curse on him. His ultimate aim clearly is to free himself from this.

“He had hoped to take up employment meaning he could have reduced his debts by legitimate means.”

Mr Allan added that Maclean had been “used quite badly” by people who had set out to exploit him.

Sheriff Philip Mann told Maclean: “You will know that the drug trade is a dirty and dangerous trade.”

He sentenced him to 42 months, backdated to 7th July.