A CLACKS drug dealer who had enough ingredients to make more than £2 million of ecstasy is facing a significant jail sentence.

Connor Smith, 25, was caught by detectives probing exactly who was supplying dealers throughout central Scotland.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how officers established the man they were looking for was Smith during an intelligence led initiative called Operation Thuban.

Police raided a property in Clackmannanshire and found a pill press, ecstasy in powder form, and 65 kilos of a bulking agent.

Cops established that the bulking agent had the potential to make 234,000 tablets with a street value of £2.34 million.

The story emerged after Smith, of a prisoner of HMP Barlinnie, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to being involved in the supply of ecstasy between July 2017 and October 2018 on Wednesday.

The offences took places at addresses in Alloa.

Prosecution lawyer Liam Ewing told the court that officers raided a house in Clacks on December 28 2017 and detained an individual, who wasn’t named in court.

They found a pill press and MDMA powder that if was made into tablet form would have a street value of £60,000.

Mr Ewing said: “It was not possible on the information available to assess how many tablets had been produced by the press but it is estimated that the potential annual output from the press could potentially realised a figure between £390,000 and £1,300,000.

Mr Ewing told the court that the person who was detained by police identified Smith as being the man who owned the pill press.

Forensic officers also recovered his fingerprints from the press and the bag of bulking agent.

Meanwhile on May 3 2018, the court heard how police pulled over a black Renault Megane on the A92 outside Kirkcaldy in Fife.

The man who was driving the vehicle, Ian Hildersley, had 11,000 ecstasy tablets and a kilo of MDMA in crystalline form. The court heard that the estimated street value of the drugs were more than £100,000.

Police also found Smith’s fingerprints on the bags containing the drugs. Hildersley was jailed for four years in September 2018.

On August 24 2018, the police finally caught up with Smith when a car he was travelling in was stopped in Admiralty Road, Rosyth.

Police found 2,000 ecstasy tablets in his possession. Meanwhile, colleagues established that Smith had purchased the pill press from a firm called LFA Machines. He spent a total of £4,509.99 with the firm.

He also spent £600 buying stamps for the pills. The stamps had the logos for designer clothes firm Stone Island and Nike’s Air Max brand.

Mr Ewing said police quizzed him on October 8, 2018.

He added: “Operation Thuban was an intelligence led operation into the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the Clackmannanshire and wider Forth Valley areas by an organised crime group.

“During the course of the operation there were a number of recoveries by police from other individuals which the police then linked to the accused as a supplier.

“The police inquiries established that the accused was concerned in the manufacture and distribution of ecstasy tablets.

“The accused was interviewed under caution and initially answered no comment to all questions.

“However, he thereafter admitted that he had purchased the pill press recovered from the Clackmannanshire address and he had been producing ecstasy tablets using it.

“He had purchased items from LFA Machines including a pill press and bulking agent.

“He purchased 13 pill stamps from a firm called LDN Metal Works and that one of these stamps was a Stone Island stamp.

“At about 1310 on October 8 2018, the accused was cautioned and charged. He indicated that he understood and elected to make no reply.”

Judge Lord Pentland deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports on Smith’s character. He also remanded him in custody.

He added: “Connor Smith, you have pleaded guilty to a serious offence. It is inevitable that I will impose a custodial sentence on you.

“I am deferring sentence for the court to obtain a report. It is in your interests that you fully co-operate with the preparation of this report.”

Detective Sergeant Jamie Hughes from the Forth Valley Proactive CID said: "The intelligence we received in relation to Connor Smith indicated that he was playing a significant role in the supply of ecstasy across Forth Valley and Fife.

"Throughout 2018, we carried out a range of searches and executed a number of warrants resulting in the recovery of large quantities of MDMA. All of these recoveries were linked back to Smith and he was subsequently charged on 8th October 2018.

"His conviction should send a very clear message that tackling drug crime is one of our top priorities and whenever information is received in relation to an individual involved in offences of this nature, we will investigate thoroughly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

"The public have a vital role to play in helping us remove drugs and drug dealers from our street by coming forward on 101 to report ongoing criminality in their areas. Alternatively, an anonymous report can be made to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Smith will be sentenced on February 13 2019.