A HELENSBURGH man was caught with cocaine worth more than £2,500 and almost seven thousand pounds in cash when police pulled over a car in which he was a passenger.

After officers retrieved a plastic bag from the back of the Peugeot, Churchill resident Liam Bailey told officers: "It's got gear in it."

The 28-year-old, of Fisher Place, pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Tuesday to a single charge of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug.

The court heard that Bailey described himself to police as "a DJ, MC and musician".

Martina McGuigan, prosecuting, told the court police had pulled over the vehicle, in which Bailey was one of two passengers, at 11pm on March 20 last year.

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Ms McGuigan said police initially found a blue bag with a small amount of cocaine, along with a wallet containing £842 and two mobile phones, when they searched Bailey's pockets.

Bailey then tried to reach into the car for a bag on the back seat, and continued to try and retrieve the bag despite being told he could face arrest for obstructing police.

"The two witnesses were told to exit the vehicle, along with the accused," Ms McGuigan continued.

"A police constable inspected the carrier bag and the accused pointed to the bag and said 'that bag's mine – I'm moving house, it's got gear in it, I'm not going to lie'."

Officers recovered scales, gloves, scissors and a number of smaller polythene bags from inside the bag, one containing another small amount of cocaine and another a small quantity of benzocaine.

They also found £6,055 in cash, as well as a box for a mobile phone – inside which they found not a phone, but a further bag containing 62.4 grams of cocaine – during the search, which happened after the car was pulled over at a bus stop near the Canniesburn Toll roundabout in Bearsden.

Ms McGuigan, who said Bailey had no previous convictions, told the court the largest amount of cocaine had an estimated value of £2,580.

"It was put to him during a police interview that it was sometimes easier to tell the truth and deal with things," she added.

"He said 'that's absolutely true mate – that's why I'm in this room'.

"The accused stated to police that he worked as a DJ, MC and musician."

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Ms McGuigan told the court the Crown was making a motion for forfeiture of the money found on Bailey during the search.

Kevin Corr, defending, said: "The least of Mr Bailey's concerns is the money. He makes no claim in respect of that.

"He is well aware that all sentencing options will be considered."

Deferring sentence until next month for background reports, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told Bailey: "These are not insubstantial amounts of money and drugs.

"You don't have a record, but the court will have to consider all the available options – including custody."

Bailey's bail was continued until a sentencing hearing on February 18, when Mr Corr will speak at greater length on behalf of his client.

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