A tiler was caught with £60,000 of cocaine stashed under rocks in a north-east wasteland.

Police set up a large-scale surveillance operation after getting a tip-off that convicted drug dealer Jason McAllister had resumed his old habits after being released from a ten-year prison sentence for similar offences.

Officers followed him from his home at Aquithie Road at Kemnay to a remote spot next to Hillhead of Clinterty, Tyrebagger in September last year.

The surveillance continued and a man McAllister later met with was found to have quarter of a kilo of cocaine on him.

The wasteland was searched and officers found a rucksack filled with 50% pure cocaine along with bulking agent benzocaine. They seized the drugs and powder and put dummy packages back in their place.

McAllister's home was raided on October 10 last year and he confessed he had been given the drugs by a man he owed £20,000 to, and told to bulk it out with the benzocaine and sell it on to repay his debt.

At the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, McAllister admitted being involved in the supply of class-A drugs between September 21 and October 10 last year.

The judge, Lord Turnbull, deferred sentence until next month for background reports. McAllister was remanded in custody.