A shop assistant who allowed his home to be used as a “store” for a drugs gang’s cocaine has been warned he is facing jail.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard yesterday that first offender Matthew Gray’s home was raided by police just days before Christmas last year.
Officers found cocaine worth almost £220,000 hidden in the bedroom of the property in Aberdeen’s Hutcheon Gardens.
The court heard that Gray had agreed to keep the Class A drug for dealers who were planning to sell it on to users in the Granite City.
The 20-year-old, who admitted being involved in the supply of drugs, received a “small financial remuneration” in return.
Advocate depute Adrian Cottam, prosecuting, told the court officers raided Gray’s property on December 22 and discovered half a kilo of cocaine with an 80% purity.
Mr Cottam said it was likely the drugs would have been bulked out to about three kilos, which would have been worth about £76,000, but broken down into street deals it would have fetched £219,000.
The court heard Gray had travelled to Glasgow on “three or four” occasions to collect kilogram cocaine and had twice stored it in his home.
Gray’s counsel, advocate Gareth Jones, told the court his client had not been in trouble before.
The court heard that Gray worked as a part-time shop assistant and lived with his mother.
Mr Jones added: “He allowed his property to be used for storage at the behest of others who were further up the chain.
Judge Lady Carmichael rejected a request to grant Gray bail and deferred sentence for reports.
She told him: “It is inevitable that you will receive a custodial sentence. I therefore refuse the motion made by your counsel to continue bail.”
Gray will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on October 31.
