DRUGS MAN HAD SPEED HAUL

An Aberdeen man was yesterday found guilty of being concerned in the
supply of amphetamine in the city.

Graeme Craig, 37, of 16 Oscar Place, was convicted after a three-day
trial at the High Court in Aberdeen. Sentence has now been deferred
for background reports until the end of this month.

The trial had heard how officers had uncovered class B amphetamine,
known as speed, with a street-value of UKP28,000 to UKP100,000, in
Craig's council flat in Victoria Road, Torry, last October.

Unemployed Craig said that, although it was his council tenancy, he
had not been living in the flat and lodged a special defence of
incrimination. Giving evidence at the trial, Craig said the drugs may
have belonged to another person who had keys to his flat.

The jury yesterday took just over an hour to convict Craig, who has a
previous conviction for possession of drugs in 1995.

Craig had been detained in the city's Castlegate on Sunday, October
11, last year. He had been with a man wanted by police in connection
with another matter.

When searched, Craig was found to have UKP500 in cash in his
possession and a polythene bag hidden in his underpants containing
eight smaller bags of amphetamine, the court had heard.

Police then searched the Torry flat and found 619g of amphetamine in a
plastic bag. A sniffer dog had found the stash, hidden underneath a
floorboard below the kitchen sink.

It was found to contain 16% amphetamine, while the drug found on the
street would generally be around 2% pure, the court heard. Drugs squad
officer Detective Constable Colin Walker said the drug may be
"bulked-out" before being supplied.

During the search, police also uncovered a set of scales and what
police believed to be tick-lists, the court was told.

In the witness stand, Craig admitted taking amphetamine, but denied
all knowledge of the drugs found at the flat.

Summing up the evidence, defence advocate David Moggach told the jury:
"There is nothing you have heard in evidence that would tie Mr Craig
into knowing about the drugs under the sink.

"I would submit to you that the Crown has failed to establish that Mr
Craig was concerned in the supply of illegal drugs from the flat in
Victoria Road."

Prosecuting advocate depute Jamie Gilchrist said: "What you have is a
whole series of circumstances from which, I would suggest, you can
build up a pretty good picture."

Lord Reed deferred sentence for background reports until the sitting
of the High Court in Edinburgh on November 26.