Dundee dealers caught in cocaine ‘safe house’ are jailed

A sheriff jailed two men caught in a Dundee “safe house” flat with cocaine worth tens of thousands of pounds.

Jonathan Dandie and Stewart Norrie were caught red-handed by police executing a search warrant at an address on Park Avenue on May 18 2023.

The men were clutching plastic bags containing white powder, the majority of which later tested positive for the Class A drug.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard how Norrie was using the address as a safe house to store drugs while Dandie was collecting cocaine.

Raid

Prosecutor Sarah Wilkinson previously detailed how officers arrived at around 5.10pm and found the men clutching the drugs.

Ms Wilkinson said: “Entry was gained through the unlocked front door.

“Jonathan Dandie was traced in the hallway.

“The accused was holding a carrier bag of white powder in his hand which he immediately put behind his back and dropped to the floor to his rear.

“There appeared to be a substantial quantity of controlled drugs.”

An iPhone and cash was taken from Dandie, 35, when he was searched.

Norrie, 53, was found in the living room holding an Asda sandwich bag of bags of white powder.

A “systematic” search of the flat was carried out and among the items found were a shoebox containing scales, a sieve, bowls and a spoon with traces of white powder.

Safe house

A previous Crown narrative incorporated a police report which stated more than 1kg of cocaine was discovered with a maximum potential value of more than £98,000.

However, this was redrafted at the sentencing hearing when the the court was told how Dandie’s bag contained 137.94g of cocaine worth up to £13,700.

The sandwich bag containing 75.22g of the Class A drug worth as much as £7,400.

Dandie and Norrie, both HMP Perth prisoners, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine at the address on Park Avenue and elsewhere on May 18 2023.

Jim Laverty, defending Norrie, said his client had become addicted to drugs, exacerbated by the death of his partner.

The lawyer said: “His position was that this address was being used as a safe house.

“He had become very vulnerable and had a drug debt. There was a certain vulnerability and was perhaps exploited.”

Gambling and drug debt

According to solicitor Jane Caird, gas engineer Dandie – who had been acting as a courier – had also accrued a significant debt due to his cocaine addiction.

“He also had a very bad gambling addiction, which has not really subsided until very recently.

“He was offered to do this job on the one day to effectively get rid of his debt.

“He very, very naively took that opportunity. I think he thought it was to be the end of his financial problems.”

Sheriff Paul Brown ruled Norrie played a greater role in the supply and jailed him for 20 months.

Dandie was sentenced to 13 months in prison.

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