An unemployed man who was found to be a drug trafficker with a £700,000 fortune after a bank raised concerns about his wealth has been jailed for four years.

An investigation found Ross Black had not had a job since February 2021 and had paid no tax or National Insurance since that time.

But it was discovered the 33-year-old had amassed more than £709,000 in cash, bank accounts and savings accounts.

Black, of Dalgety Bay in Fife, admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug cocaine between October 2022 and October 2023.

He also pleaded guilty to an offence under proceeds of crime legislation that he acquired and had possession of criminal property in the form of money amounting to £709,623 on various occasions between April 15, 2021 and October 26, 2023.

Judge Lord Summers told him at the High Court in Edinburgh he would have faced a six-year jail term for the offending, but that would be reduced to take into account his guilty pleas.

Advocate depute Naomei Warner said the former welder last declared income from employment in 2019-20.

The prosecutor said that in July 2023 police received information that Black held money in a Monzo bank account.

She said: ‘He had provided details that he was employed working on a production line within the manufacturing industry. In the two-month period his account saw a turnover of approximately £43,724.

‘The report was triggered as the turnover far exceeded the bank’s expectations of a person in the accused’s line of work.’

Further inquiries revealed he also held a current account with another bank and numerous savings accounts. Intelligence was also received that Black was involved in the supply of cocaine.

Police spotted Black driving a Nissan Juke. He was detained and officers recovered 17 bags of cocaine, worth about £1,500.

They also found a phone which had messages about the supply of cocaine and the exchange of money.

A search at his home found more than £10,000 in cash. The Crown is seeking to recover crime profits from Black.