iStockTwo men caught after police discovered a £1m illicit pill-making factory in a garden shed have been jailed.
John Smith, 61, and John Corrance, 29, were charged after the raid at an electric-gated property in Dalkeith, Midlothian on September 12 last year.
Smith had initially been clocked outside covered in powder from the drugs.
A judge heard how the shed had been built around a large pill press machine embedded into the ground.
The haul seized by police was the equivalent of 1.5m tablets of the class C drug Bromazolam – similar to street Valium.
Corrance had earlier been linked to a sawn-off shotgun found in a designer bag in a stolen car.
The pair were sentenced by judge Lord Arthurson at the High Court in Glasgow.
Corrance was jailed for a total of eight years after he admitted to being concerned in the supply of Bromazolam as well as other charges including possession of the shotgun.
Smith was locked up for three years for his role in the drugs offence.
Prosecutor Lucy Adams told how when police swooped, Smith was standing in a small fenced-off area of the property outside the shed.
She added: “He was wearing latex gloves and covered in white powder.”
Smith was held at the scene.
He told the officers: “I am not making the things. I am just here to repair the machine.”
The court heard an “industrial style” pill press was discovered along with tubs and bags of powder and tablets.
Miss Adams also said: “There was a cement mixer was found outside the shed.
“It was assessed to have been used to mix the compound from which the pills were formed.”
The prosecutor stated “in excess” of 200kg of Bromazolam powder and tablets were seized from the shed.
The maximum potential value of the total number of pills that could be produced from that haul was more than £1m.
Forensic evidence pinned both Smith and Corrance as being involved.
The court was also told how the gun was found in March 2023.
This was after numerous car keys and a red Volvo were stolen from a garage in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire.
The motor was later traced and found to have fake number plates. The Volvo was sent to be sold at auction.
A replacement key for the vehicle was sourced, and the Volvo was checked over.
A worker at the car auction opened the boot and discovered a Louis Vuitton bag.
Miss Adams: “On lifting the boot floor, the bag moved and he observed a shotgun.”
A total of £24,000 of Ketamine powder was also found.
The weapon was an Italian-made gun in working order and capable of firing bullets.
Forensic evidence again linked Corrance to this.
George Gebbie, defending Smith, said there had initially been a “naivete” on his part, but “clearly regretted” his involvement.
Corrance’s KC David Nicholson stated: “He got caught up in something that he was completely out his depth with.”
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