A FORMER commando who used his time in an elite Royal Marine unit to supply illegal drugs pocketed £177,500 from his life of crime, a court heard. 

Grant Broadfoot, 30, made the cash from being involved in an illegal racket with his father Ian and fellow serviceman Stuart Bryant, 31. 

But following a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, it emerged that Broadfoot only has £29,309.15 available at this point in time. 

At proceedings last year, the High Court in Glasgow heard how both Broadfoot and Bryant were caught using a Ministry of Defence-owned van to transport cannabis from England to Scotland in June 2020.

The pair were arrested in Glasgow's Mount Vernon with 30 vacuum-sealed bags of drugs following a tip-off.

Broadfoot also used his position as an ammunition storeman at HM Naval Base Faslane to try and sell live rounds.

He was sentenced to five years and three months at the high court by Judge Lady Stacey. He had pleaded guilty to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime.

Bryant was jailed for for three years and nine months after he admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Lady Stacey branded the crimes "disgraceful" and said the pair should be "absolutely ashamed" of themselves.

Broadfoot's 62-year-old father Ian was also sentenced for his part in the scheme.

He had pleaded guilty to producing and being concerned in the supply of cannabis as well as a charge under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Lady Stacey decided not to jail Ian Broadfoot and instead ordered him to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work as part of a 27-month community payback order.

Passing sentence, Lady Stacey told Grant Broadfoot: "You were in the Royal Navy and you took advantage of that."

The court had heard how Broadfoot's accommodation on the Faslane site, near Helensburgh in Argyll and Bute, was raided and a variety of ammunition was recovered from a Tesco bag.

Bryant, of Galston in East Ayrshire, admitted producing cannabis and being concerned in its supply.

The crimes committed by both men took place between November 2019 and June 2020.

The court heard police were informed that drugs would be transported from England to Scotland by an MoD-owned Transit van on June 3, 2020.

The Transit van driven by Grant Broadfoot and a Renault van driven by Stuart Bryant stopped beside each other in Mount Vernon.

A search of the Transit recovered 11 vacuum-sealed bags of cannabis while the Renault contained 19 bags.

Grant Broadfoot's then-home in Baillieston was raided and £27,370 of cash was found.

A search of his father's property in Mount Vernon recovered £21,030, a vacuum sealer machine and a bag of cannabis as well as other drug paraphernalia.

The men were brought to justice as part of Operation Venetic in which officers gained access to an encrypted phone service used by criminals.

Both Grant Broadfoot and Bryant served with 43 Commando which is based at HM Naval Base Clyde, the home of Britain’s nuclear fleet at Faslane, near Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute. 

The Royal Navy’s website describes 43 Commando as having a “vital core mission” in “preventing unauthorised access to the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent.”

It adds: “They work on operations in the UK, and refine their skills through continuous training exercises at home and abroad. 

“The unit is also part of 3 Commando Brigade, the UK’s high-readiness expeditionary amphibious force. 

“From counter-piracy and counter-narcotics to maritime interdiction operations, 3 Commando Brigade protects, secures and safeguards across the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean.”

Following the verdict, the Commandant General of the Royal Marines, Lt Gen Rob Magowan, said there had since been a "root and branch review" of the culture and operations at 43 Commando Royal Marines, and it had not found any wider issues.

He added: "There is no room for complacency, however, and every effort will be made to ensure that Royal Marines everywhere behave in accordance with the high standards society expects."

On Tuesday, Lord Tyre ordered the seizure of the £29,309.15 sum. 

Prosecutors can return to court if they discover the existence of the remaining portion of the £177,500.