Dundee £100k scratch card winner behind bars for high purity cocaine dealing

A £100,000 scratch card winner turned drug dealer is behind bars after being caught with high-purity cocaine at his Dundee flat.

Jack Tanbini has been warned a lengthy prison term awaits him after he admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug.

The High Court in Dundee was told how police raided Tanbini’s home on two separate occasions and found a block of cocaine as well as scales and tick lists.

In 2014, Tanbini, who has previous convictions for driving offences, won the Lotto jackpot after spending just £1 on a scratch card while still a teenager

However, it was revealed at a court hearing five years later he had squandered the majority of the winnings.

Following Tanbini’s guilty plea, judge Lord Summers said: “I am not inclined on the basis of the information given to me to allow you to continue to remain on bail so you will be remanded in custody as of today’s date.”

Drugs and cash found

The court heard how police obtained an initial search warrant in August 2022 for the property at Eassons Angle where Tanbini had been living since June 2019.

The 28-year-old was not at home when the warrant was executed but was traced to a black Volkswagen Golf owned by his partner.

Tanbini had two mobile phones on his lap, one of which was open and police were able to take images of Snapchat messages that related to drug dealing.

Advocate depute David Logan said: “The accused was taken back to the flat and volunteered to officers that what they were looking for was in the bedroom cupboard and had nothing to do with his partner.

“A block of white powder, a bag of white powder and various paraphernalia was recovered including digital scales with white powder, cash and bags with sachets.”

Officers found £6,400 in cash along with £320 in a wallet.

More than double normal purity

A further search was carried out in October 2022 and a bag with £13,415 in cash was found, along with a tick list but no drugs.

The block of white powder was found to weigh more than 750g and was around 80% “high purity” with the bag, at 79% weighing just over 60g.

Mr Logan said this was more than double the standard street purity level in Scotland.

The court heard how the drugs had a maximum potential street value of £153,800.

Cash claw back bid

Prosecutors are seeking to claw back the £20,135 in cash through Proceeds of Crime legislation with a hearing fixed for March.

Tanbini pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug from an address on Eassons Angle between August and October 2022.

Lord Summers deferred sentence on Tanbini, who had been on bail for more than two years, until January.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Lottery win squandered

In 2014, cash-and-carry apprentice Tanbini won his Lottery windfall after helping unload a delivery at newsagents Glens on Clepington Road in Dundee.

In return for the good deed, when he tried to use a pound to buy a packet of crisps, the shop manager refused to accept it so bought the winning scratch card with it instead.

He told The Evening Telegraph he would give some money to his mum and save the rest but by 2019, in court for a dangerous driving charge, he revealed he had not worked for five years and spent the cash.

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