A FORMER commando who used his time in an elite Royal Marine unit based at Faslane to supply illegal drugs pocketed £177,500 from his life of crime, a court heard. 

Grant Broadfoot, 30, made the cash from being involved in an illegal racket with his father Ian and fellow serviceman Stuart Bryant, 31.

Broadfoot also used his position as an ammunitions storeman at HM Naval Base Clyde to try and sell live rounds.

But following a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, it emerged that Broadfoot only has £29,309.15 available.

The two Marines were both members of the elite 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group, which is responsible for guarding the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

At proceedings two years ago the High Court in Glasgow heard how both Broadfoot and Bryant were caught using a van owned by the Ministry of Defence to transport cannabis from England to Scotland in June 2020.

The pair were arrested in Glasgow's Mount Vernon area with 30 vacuum-sealed bags of drugs following a tip-off.

In May 2022, Grant Broadfoot was sentenced to five years and three months at the High Court by judge Lady Stacey after he pleaded guilty to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime.

Bryant was jailed for for three years and nine months after he admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

READ MORE: Former Faslane Royal Marines jailed for drugs and firearms offences

Lady Stacey branded the crimes "disgraceful" and said the pair should be "absolutely ashamed" of themselves.

Broadfoot's 62-year-old father Ian was also sentenced for his part in the scheme.

He had pleaded guilty to producing and being concerned in the supply of cannabis as well as a charge under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Lady Stacey decided not to jail Broadfoot's father, and instead ordered him to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work as part of a 27-month community payback order.

But the judge told Grant Broadfoot: "You were in the Royal Navy and you took advantage of that."

The court had heard how Broadfoot's accommodation at Faslane was raided and a variety of ammunition was recovered from a Tesco bag.

Bryant, of Galston, East Ayrshire, admitted producing cannabis and being concerned in its supply.

The crimes committed by both men took place between November 2019 and June 2020.

The court heard police were informed that drugs would be transported from England to Scotland by using a Transit van owned by the MoD on June 3, 2020.

The van, driven by Grant Broadfoot, and a Renault van driven by Bryant stopped beside each other in Mount Vernon.

A search of the Transit recovered 11 vacuum-sealed bags of cannabis, while the Renault contained 19 bags.

Grant Broadfoot's then-home in nearby Baillieston was raided and £27,370 of cash was found.

A search of his father's property in Mount Vernon recovered £21,030, a vacuum sealer machine and a bag of cannabis as well as other drug paraphernalia.

The men were brought to justice as part of Operation Venetic, in which officers gained access to an encrypted phone service used by criminals.

The Royal Navy’s website describes 43 Commando as having a “vital core mission” in “preventing unauthorised access to the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent”.

It adds: “They work on operations in the UK, and refine their skills through continuous training exercises at home and abroad. 

“The unit is also part of 3 Commando Brigade, the UK’s high-readiness expeditionary amphibious force. 

“From counter-piracy and counter-narcotics to maritime interdiction operations, 3 Commando Brigade protects, secures and safeguards across the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean.”

Following the verdict, the Commandant General of the Royal Marines, Lt Gen Rob Magowan, said there had since been a "root and branch review" of the culture and operations at 43 Commando Royal Marines, and it had not found any wider issues.

He added: "There is no room for complacency, however, and every effort will be made to ensure that Royal Marines everywhere behave in accordance with the high standards society expects."

On Tuesday, Lord Tyre ordered the seizure of the £29,309.15 sum. 

Prosecutors can return to court if they discover the existence of the remaining portion of the £177,500.