POLICE OFFICERS searching a house in Perth found cannabis resin with a street value of up to £57,000 in a bag lying on a bedroom floor, the High Court in Dundee heard yesterday.

The evening raid, at a property in Strathtay Road, followed a surveillance operation involving a man known as “Wolf” which had begun earlier the same day in Liverpool.

Stephen Thompson (27), Standale Road, Liverpool, and David Rowland (36), a prisoner at Perth, have admitted that on October 15, 2003, at addresses in Liverpool, in a vehicle journey between Liverpool and Perth and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, they were concerned in the supply of cannabis resin to another or others, including, in particular, to William Ferns.

They had denied being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and their not guilty pleas to that charge were accepted by the Crown.

Advocate depute Bernard Ablett told the court yesterday that, in 2003, Tayside Police received “considerable” information which resulted in a covert surveillance operation being mounted in relation to the supply of controlled drugs.

On October 15, they enlisted the support of English officers in order to carry out observation in Liverpool of Rowland, whose nickname, the court was told, is Wolf.

He was seen to visit Thompson’s home in Liverpool, then left in a Volkswagen Passat. At the same time, Thompson and others drove off in a Ford Focus after a large hold-all was placed in the boot.

The two cars appeared to drive in convoy, but at a petrol station near the M62 the Passat returned to Liverpool while officers trailed the Focus to Strathtay Road in Perth and a house occupied by the estranged wife of William Ferns and his son.

At a public car park behind the house, items were transferred between the Focus and another car, then Thompson drove back to Liverpool. A short time later, officers saw something being taken from the other car into the house.

Police forced entry to the house, said Mr Ablett, and a black bag containing four sealed packets was found in the bedroom. Subsequent analysis found that this was just under 20kg of cannabis resin, with a maximum street value of £57,033.

He continued, “Following further police inquiries, it was decided that the homes of Stephen Thompson and David Rowland would be searched and that they would be detained and questioned in relation to the observations which had taken place on October 15.

“During the course of the interview, Stephen Thompson indicated to police officers that he had been involved in conveying what he thought was very low quality cannabis resin to Perth on October 15.

“His explanation was that he had come to know someone whom he only knew as Wolf, and had accrued a debt to this individual of £240. He didn’t know the person’s real name.

“On October 15, this individual had asked Stephen Thompson to go to Scotland to convey…cannabis resin. In return the debt was paid off, and in addition his travelling expenses and meals would be paid for.”

Mr Ablett said that Thompson had become “very tearful and upset” during the course of the police interview, and appeared at one point to have suffered some sort of panic attack.

When Rowland was interviewed in relation to the events of October 15, he indicated that he may have been in Standale Road, but denied that he was involved in the supply of cannabis resin.

Advocate Tim Niven-Smith, for Thompson, said his client had one previous conviction and had not served a prison sentence. He said that “something other than a prison sentence may be appropriate in this case” for his client, particularly given his full and frank admission and indication of a guilty plea at a very early stage.

Derek Ogg QC, for Rowland, told the court that his client had been a world team champion kick-boxer, and that his nickname Wolf was a martial arts stage name. He said that his client did not accept Thompson’s evidence regarding the debt.

Lord Kinclaven deferred sentence to the High Court in Glasgow on April 7 for reports, and both men were remanded in custody.