Drug dealer who advertised cocaine on Instagram caught through clothing worn in videos

A drug dealer who used social media apps to advertise cocaine for sale wore his own clothes in videos he posted and shot the footage at his home.

A court heard that during a search of John Gallagher’s home in Bridge of Don, police seized trainers, shorts, trousers and a jumper matching those shown on Instagram and Telegram videos offering the sale of drugs.

Advocate depute Graeme Jessop KC told the High Court in Edinburgh: “Images of the living room and kitchen areas were obtained and noted to match that in the various images and videos posted advertising drugs for sale.”

The prosecutor said: “Intelligence was received by Police Scotland that the accused was involved in the supply of cocaine, by using social media apps, including Instagram and Telegram.”

Gallagher, 35, who moved from Liverpool to Aberdeen in 2019, was found to have an Instagram username of ABZ2LPOOL2023 and a Telegram account linked to ABZ2LPOOL420.

Mr Jessop said: “Within these profiles, various drug price lists, images of drugs and videos advertising drugs for sale were posted.”

“Each account has a similar profile image of a cartoon depicting a male smoking, wearing a baseball cap with the number 100 on it and the title ABZ2LPOOL,” he said.

On July 13, 2023, police forced entry to a flat in Morrison Street, Aberdeen, which they found appeared not to be lived in.

Inside, they found cocaine with a potential value of £51,000 and £12,000 worth of amphetamine. They also found disposable gloves, scales, plastic bags and a ‘tick list’ of drug debt.

Gallagher’s DNA was found on used disposable gloves, and his fingerprints were discovered on a roll of plastic bags and a box of disposable gloves.

In December that year police seized cocaine and heroin from a flat in King Street, Aberdeen. An iPhone was also recovered which showed messages from a Telegram account linked to Gallagher advertising for sale ‘flake’ – a street name for cocaine.

Police went to a flat at Marischal Court, in Aberdeen, and an address in Balgownie Way in the city on February 22 last year after they received information that Gallagher was storing drugs at the properties.

The occupier of the Marischal Court flat said he had been dealing for Gallagher for a few months and allowed drugs to be stored at the house. £945 was seized along with scales.

Officers forced entry to the Balgownie Way address and found cocaine worth up to £14,200 in a hall cupboard. Gallagher’s DNA and fingerprints were found on packaging for the drugs.

Gallagher admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug cocaine and the Class B drug amphetamine between July 13 in 2023 and February 22 last year at addresses in Overhill Gardens, Morrison Drive and Balgownie Way in Aberdeen and elsewhere, when he appeared in court.

The court heard that Gallagher has nine previous convictions for drugs offences and was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court while still a teenager for trafficking in heroin.

Defence counsel Lorenzo Alonzi said Gallagher suffered from mental health difficulties and received prescribed medication for anxiety.

The judge, Lady Ross, adjourned sentence for the preparation of a background report on Gallagher who is remanded in custody.