The boss of a shop selling international foods was snared peddling crack and cocaine after cops raided the store.
Yahya Fofana was caught with Class A drugs behind the till when police swooped on Nyomo’s Global Food Market in Edinburgh.
The 63-year-old was running the store in the city’s Newington area which specialises in African, Asian and Afro-Caribbean foods and ingredients.
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Officers found a mobile phone used by Fofana where a drug buyer spoke of “bringing a lot of customers your way”.
Fofana appeared at the city’s sheriff court on Thursday and admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs at the shop in Newington Road, the Daily Record reports.
Fiscal depute Gillian Koren said six officers raided the premises under a search warrant.
Ms Koren said Fofana was the only person in the shop at the time.
The court heard a police sniffer dog found “rocks” and “wraps” of powder concealed in a presentation stand behind the cash register.
Ms Koren said Fofana told police about a black rucksack in the shop’s storage area which was found to contain a “white substance in a clear bag” alongside a DVLA letter addressed to the accused.
Officers also recovered two envelopes containing a total of £1200, a Nokia phone and an iPhone 11.
Ms Koren said substances which tested positive for cocaine were found in a mixture of plastic bags.
The court was told the total value of the drugs found was £1740. This included five rocks of crack cocaine worth £100.
The Nokia phone was found to have a message from May 21 2021 where a drug buyer texted: “You know I’m good for it and I have brought a lot of customers your way.”
The buyer added that he wanted a ‘p’ which the court heard was a reference to ‘proper’ or good quantity cocaine.
Ms Koren said the property was owned by another man, but Fofana had been “renting the premises for a number of months”.
Documents available online from a chartered surveyor offering the shop for sale last year at offers over £160,000 described Fofana as the “tenant” with a lease running from January 2021 to January next year.
Fofana, of the city’s Pennywell area, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine between March 7 and August 3 2021.
Sheriff Chris Dickson deferred sentence until later this month for reports.
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