Two men have been sentenced after pleading guilty to stashing £20,000 worth of cocaine in a Fife garage.
Lee Lamont and Nico Sword previously admitted being concerned in the Class A drug’s supply between October and November 2023.
The pair initially had a bag containing 250g at Lamont’s repair shop in Methil but by the time police swooped there was only 140g remaining.
A sheriff who placed the duo on 10-hour curfews for the eight months told them their drugs “cause a huge amount of difficulty in this community.”
Workshop raided
At a hearing in April when the pair pled guilty, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard police raided a garage on November 17 in 2023.
The unit at Kirkland Industrial Estate is a small car repair shop with a mezzanine inside, accessed by wooden stairs.
A four-berth caravan was parked inside at the time.
Police were later told by the unit’s owner it was rented to Lamont.
In mid-October 2023, police received an “influx” of intelligence about both accused and their involvement in supplying drugs from the unit.
A search warrant was granted for November 17 and officers found Sword, 29, inside.
The bag of cocaine, worth £12,500 if sold in ounces or £20,000 if sold in half-grams, was recovered.
Lamont, 30, was subsequently traced by police at his home around the corner on Rannoch Road.
Mitigation
Both men have been on bail since appearing in court in private three days after the garage raid.
Lawyer Martin McGuire, representing Lamont, conceded his client has a previous High Court-level conviction.
“The background of this offending… Mr Lamond didn’t try to dispute that. It was financially motivated.
“From his own personal experience, he understands the impact drug use can have on society.”
Solicitor Joe Mooney, appearing for Sword, of Methil, said: “He’s got no previous drug convictions.
“He managed to stay out of trouble from July 2020 to October 2023.
“Mr Sword is a pretty resourceful individual. He’s always been involved in working.
“He has used cocaine, but – crystal clear – he’s not got any issues with drugs.”
Fife’s ‘huge difficulty’ with cocaine
The two men were each sentenced to restriction of liberty orders, keeping them indoors from 9pm to 7am each night for 240 days.
Sentencing, Sheriff Robert More said: “What it seems I’m dealing with is a wholesale amount that, in essence, he was found in possession of – warehousing.
“It’s a very, very short step for someone who’s got a difficulty with drugs to become involved in the supply.
“Fundamentally, it is involvement in the supplying of a Class A drug which causes a huge amount of difficulty in this community, over a period of a month.”
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