Lossiemouth mum caught with £300k of drugs in her home
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A MUM of two who was caught with more than £300,000 of drugs became involved in the illegal trade after criminals threatened to ‘harm’ her children, a court has heard.
Sasha Peel (29), was arrested after detectives found cocaine, heroin and large quantities of a sedative called Etizolam at her home in Lossiemouth, Moray, on August 8, 2018.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how officers raided Peel’s house in the town’s Cromarty Place after receiving intelligence that gangsters were using her property as a storage facility.
They found heroin with a maximum street value of £31,360, cocaine worth £265,800 and Etizolam which could sold for £59,703.
When Police Scotland interviewed Peel, she said she felt that she had no other option. She said she wanted her children, who are aged 10 and five, to remain safe.
Prosecution lawyer Richard Goddard QC said: “The accused claimed that she became involved as she had received a phone call threatening her and her children with harm if she didn’t agree to have her house used as a ‘safe house’.
“The accused stated that she expected to be paid money in return for storing the drugs.
“However, she stated that over the period libelled she only obtained two payments; one of £300 and the other for £450, paid by for a male who uplifted cocaine.”
The story emerged after Peel pleaded guilty on Friday to three charges of being involved in the supply of drugs between March 21 2018 and August 8 2018.
Mr Goddard told the court that Peel was a tenant in the property and had lived there since 2013.
He said the police raided the address after receiving information and took her to nearby Elgin police office to be interviewed.
He added: “Following her arrest on suspicion of being concerned in the supplying of controlled drugs, the accused was taken to Elgin Police station. She was interviewed at 1800 hours that evening.
“In the course of her interview, the accused admitted that the drugs recovered in her house had been delivered to her there and that she was looking after them on behalf of others.
“She stated that persons would arrive to uplift quantities from her and this could happen once every few days or occasionally over a longer period.
“She admitted storing controlled drugs throughout the period libelled. She stated that the persons who would deliver and uplift the drugs were unknown to her.”
Defence advocate Edith Forrest said that given her client’s lack of previous offending, the court would need a report about her background before sentence could be imposed.
She told judge Michael O’Grady QC: “I’d prefer to reserve my position until reports have been received.”
Judge O’Grady deferred sentence and remanded Peel in custody.
He added: “I will defer sentence for a criminal and justice social work report.”
Peel will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on December 5.
