Two men seen exchanging £45,000 for two laundry bags filled with cannabis have been sentenced following an investigation by Scotland’s Organised Crime Partnership.
Officers from the joint National Crime Agency and Police Scotland unit were watching Mohammed Asif, 50, of Tanna Drive in Glenrothes, and Fikret Ugurlu, 40, of Hatton Road in Wembley, London, as they met at a car park in Glenrothes on 7 February 2022.
Ugurlu drove up to Scotland from his home to meet Asif in the car park, exchanging the bags containing drugs for the cash.
Asif returned to his home in Glenrothes where he then removed some of the drugs, before driving back to meet Ugurlu a second time.
OCP officers then moved in to arrest both men at the scene. In Asif’s car they found two laundry bags containing the Class B drug weighing 16 kilograms. A further five kilograms of cannabis was found in his garage. The drugs had a wholesale value of £84,000.
A search of Ugurlu’s van found £45,000 hidden under the front passenger seat in nine bundles of £5,000.
Both men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis on 7 February 2023.
At Glasgow High Court today, Asif was sentenced to six years and Ugurlu received two years and eight months.
NCA Scotland Operations Manager Rob Miles said: “Asif and Urgurlu carried out their criminality in a public car park, swapping illegal drugs for cash in broad daylight. But they were unaware we were watching their every move.
“The Organised Crime Partnership will continue to tackle drug crime and ensure those involved in the illegal supply of drugs in Scotland are brought to justice.”
Detective Chief Inspector Steven Elliot of Police Scotland said: “This conviction and sentencing serves as yet another example of our ongoing commitment to target the supply and distribution of controlled drugs across Scotland, which remains an absolute priority for the Organised Crime Partnership and its partners.
“I would like to take this opportunity to remind the public that information from our local communities is an essential part of our investigation process, as we work to disrupt the drugs trade and bring those responsible to justice.”
27 March 2023
