Dogs found drugs thrown from car

McPhee was described in court as a major drug dealer

Sniffer dogs traced thousands of pounds worth of drugs in a rucksack thrown from a car driven by a drug dealer being pursued by police, a court heard.

David McPhee, 28, from Wick, was jailed for four-and-a-half years at the High Court in Glasgow.

Rehan Amin, 18, also from Wick and described in court as one of McPhee's helpers, was jailed for three years.

The court had heard earlier that police pulled McPhee's car over near Dingwall, but he sped off.

Judge Lord Brailsford told McPhee that it was obvious he had been involved in a long-standing drug-running operation.

McPhee, of Seaforth Avenue, and Amin, of Gunn's Terrace, each admitted two charges of being involved in the supply of ecstasy and amphetamine over a 20-month period.

During an earlier hearing, Lord Brailsford was told that police were tipped off that McPhee was heading back to the north of Scotland after buying drugs in the Dumfries area.

They set up a check-point on the A9, but before McPhee reached it his Vauxhall Cavalier was pulled over near Dingwall, Ross-shire, by officers unconnected with the drug inquiry.

No insurance

The car sped away pursued by the police and when it was stopped McPhee claimed he had panicked because he had no insurance.

By this time the drug squad had heard what was happening and McPhee, his passengers and the car were taken to Dingwall and searched.

However, nothing was found.

Detectives then watched the video taken by the pursuing police car in an effort to identify places where something might have been thrown from the car.

Sniffer dogs were taken to the likely spots and a rucksack was found containing two kilos of amphetamine, estimated to be worth £5,760.

A £20,000 consignment of ecstasy was seized after police caught another man driving north, who told them he was working for McPhee.

McPhee was said in court to be a major drug dealer in the area. His method was to give out drugs for free, then hand over more "on tick".