An drug dealer caught with one of the largest ever hauls of heroin recovered in the North East of Scotland has been handed a lengthy prison sentence.
Warren Hennelly, 33, was jailed for a total of five years eight months at the High Court in Livingston, West Lothian.
The dealer, of Pennan Road, Aberdeen, earlier pled guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supplying of a controlled drug between November 2012 and March 2014 and one of failing to appear at a hearing in The High Court in Edinburgh on October 2, 2013.
Judge Lord Abercromby told Hennelly he had been involved with a “significant drug dealing operation” with heroin worth up to £140,000 and cash amounting to £2,660 being recovered from addresses in the city and in Foveran, Aberdeenshire.
Hennelly was originally charged along with Steven McDonald and Arthur Ord, who stored the drugs for him with both jailed for three years four months last November
All three men were regulars at the casino where Ord worked and McDonald owed Hennelly money due to a gambling debt.
Police who searched Ord’s home in February 2013 recovered two half kilogram blocks of powder containing diamorphine and 15 small bags containing “ounce deals” which weighed a total of 360 grams.
Drugs experts estimated the drugs could fetch up to £62,900 on the street.
Hennelly told police he sold two kilos of heroin every three or four weeks over a four month period to pay off a £40,000 debt.
A warrant was issued for Hennelly’s arrest after he failed to appear at court in October 2013 and he was spotted by officers in March this year in a car on the A90 near Balmedie.
He was detained after a chase and was found to have two mobile phones and £660 in cash.
The driver of the car, Lee McAllister, told police Hennelly had been staying at an address owned by him and he consented to the property being searched.
Officers found £2,000 in cash in a cupboard and various items which appeared to be controlled drugs behind kickboards the kitchen.
They included a yellow block of heroin which had the potential to realise some £50,000 if sold as “tenner bags” and a five further blocks with maximum value of £25,200.
