'County lines' drug dealer caught in Edinburgh with cocaine and heroin worth £14,500

A drug dealer who was caught at a bus station with thousands of pounds of cocaine and heroin in a “county lines operation” has been jailed for 18 months.

Demetre Dobson had travelled from Birmingham to Edinburgh with the large consignment of the Class A drugs hidden in a sports bag when he was pulled over by police last year.

Police Scotland detectives swooped on 21-year-old Dobson after receiving information that the dealer was carrying the drugs while on board a National Express bus at around 8.10am on November 28 last year.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told Dobson was detained during the search and was found in possession of a black JD Sports bag that had separate bags stored inside.

Edinburgh Bus Station where dealer was caught with haul of heroin and cocaine

The two bags were said to contain 72 grams of diamorphine with a street value of approximately £3600, along with 110 grams of cocaine with a street value of £11,000.

Dobson appeared at the city court via a video link for sentencing after he had previously admitted being concerned in supply of cocaine and diamorphine in Edinburgh.

Solicitor Chris McFarlane, defending, said his client had “involved himself in a county lines operation” after suffering “pressure from criminal gangs south of the border” to carry the drugs up to Scotland.

Mr McFarlane added: “He has made poor choices getting involved in this.”

Sheriff Robert Fife said: “These were very serious offences which you have pled guilty.

“You came from Birmingham to Edinburgh for the sole purpose of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs in Scotland and you were apprehended at the bus station in Edinburgh.

“You had in your possession cocaine to the value £11,000 and heroin with the value of £3600.

“There is grave concern of the damage that would cause in the community had the drugs become available.

“In my view there is no alternative to a custodial sentence.”

Dobson was sentenced to an 18 month jail sentence backdated to November 29 last year.

He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and diamorphine at Edinburgh bus station and elsewhere on November 28 last year.