A CROOK who helped lead an organised crime gang which supplied Scots drug dealers with cannabis has been jailed for five years and three months.

Alan Hunter (33), from Alva, was arrested after police discovered he helped supply couriers with large quantities of hash which were transported across Scotland.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Friday how Hunter was seen talking to a van driver in a supermarket car park in Alloa on 30 January last year.

Hours later, the vehicle was stopped on the A90 near South Queensferry and police discovered it contained cannabis with a maximum street value of £83,860.

The court also heard that in December 2012, detectives arrested a man and woman in Alloa who were carrying £180 of cannabis. The pair told cops that they were acting on Hunter’s instructions.

Prosecution lawyer Adrian Cottam told the court that officers concluded Hunter was a ‘major player’ in the gang and took him into custody.

Mr Cottam added, “The case concerns the activities of a serious organised crime group in Central Scotland.

“Police intelligence suggested that the accused Allan Hunter played a lead role in the activities of the group and was responsible for arranging couriers and for the storage and distribution of money for those higher up the chain.” Hunter, of West James Street, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of drugs between December 2012 and January 2013 before judge Lord Bannatyne, earlier this week. Sentence had previously been deferred and defence advocate, Graham Robertson, told the court that his client knew that he would be sent to prison. Mr Robertson added, “I would ask your lordship to be as lenient as he can when passing sentence.” Lord Bannatyne told Hunter that there was no other alternative to custody.