A DRUG dealer with links to a “top tier” gangland outfit made just £810 from his life of crime, a court has heard.

Prosecutors concluded that was the sum pocketed by Johnstone man Eric Morrison during his illegal activities.

The revelation emerged during a short hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday after Crown Office lawyers brought an action against Morrison under proceeds of crime legislation.

Morrison, 37, was previously given a three-year jail term for being concerned in the supply of Etizolam, also known as ‘the blue plague.’

A court heard how he was involved with a serous organised crime group in the west of Scotland specialising in drugs and firearms.

Morrison, who represented himself in court, agreed to hand over £810.

When Lord Weir asked him if he understood the terms of the agreement made between him and the Crown, Morrison replied: “Yeah, that’s fine. Just go ahead and get it done.”

Earlier this year, the court heard how, between March and June 2020, police working on Operation Gadget seized large amounts of cocaine, heroin, Etizolam and mixing agents, worth in the region of £220,000.

Firearms, including revolvers and shotguns, ammunition and grenades were also recovered.

An industrial pill press and hundreds of thousands of ‘street Valium’ tablets were found at a plant haulage and salvage yard in the Johnstone area.

Two of Morrison’s accomplices, David Hough and James Dalziel, were sentenced to a total of more than eight years in prison.

Hough had fled Scotland but was later detained by the Spanish authorities on a European Arrest Warrant and brought back to face justice.

He was sentenced to six years, while Dalziel got two years and three months.

Another accomplice, Hugh McHugh, was jailed for five years and four months.

At the time, police welcomed McHugh’s sentence.

Detective Superintendent David Scott said: “McHugh was a member of one of Scotland’s top tier organised crime groups.

“Disrupting the activities of these criminals remains a priority for our officers and underlines our commitment to the country’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce.”

At Monday’s hearing, Lord Weir ordered Morrison to pay the £810 within six months.