Police inflicted a blow against an organised crime group called Carlos after seizing more than £100,000 of its drugs from one of its members, a court has heard.
Sherwin Brown, 32, had heroin worth £79,310 and cocaine with a maximum street value of £22,110.00 when detectives arrested him in Aberdeen in November 2023.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Friday how officers also recovered £9,885.00 in cash from the drug dealer.
Prosecutor Alex Price-Marmion told judge Lord Summers how officers had received intelligence about Brown’s activities in the Granite City.
She said: “This case concerns the supply of diamorphine and crack cocaine.
“Intelligence suggests that the time of these offences Mr Brown was working for an organised crime group known as Carlos, which deals with cocaine and diamorphine throughout Aberdeen whose modus operandi is of dropping off drugs at a location agreed between the dealer and the customer.”
Drugs found in Aberdeen city centre safe house
The story emerged after Brown, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying heroin and cocaine at locations in Aberdeen on Friday.
Ms Price-Marmion told the court of how Brown, who observed proceedings via video link from prison, had previous convictions for drug possession and supply. He had also served jail terms.
She said that on November 15 last year, police had seen Brown in the passenger seat of a car which had been travelling through the city.
She said that after officers had stopped the car, Brown ran off and police officers had to chase him.
After catching him, they confiscated two mobile phones from him and a small quantity of heroin from him.
They learned that Brown was linked to a property in Taransay Crescent, in the Sheddocksley area, and when police went there, they recovered drugs.
Drugs squad detectives then learned that Brown also had links to a “safe house” in the city’s Constitution Street. After obtaining a warrant to search this property, the police recovered more evidence of Brown’s illegal activities.
Brown was then charged and police had enough evidence to bring him to court.
Proceeds of crime hearing to be held
On Friday, defence advocate Neil Shand told Lord Summers that he understood the court wanted to obtain more information about his client’s background before sentencing him.
Mr Shand told Lord Summers that his client had been remanded in custody since his arrest in November 2023.
He added: “There is no motion for bail.”
Ms Price-Marmion told the court that the Crown was launching proceedings against Brown using proceeds of crime legislation.
This means prosecutors will attempt to recover the money seized from Brown so that it can be used for schemes which benefit the public.
Lord Summers then deferred sentence against Brown to obtain a report about his background.
He added: “I want to get a bit more information about the accused.
“I will fix a date for the adjourned diet of sentence which will be in Glasgow.”
Brown will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on April 25 2024.
A procedural hearing for the proceeds of crime action will take place at the High Court in Edinburgh in June 2024.
