Police in East Ayrshire have recovered £5,000 worth of cannabis after stopping a car.

Officers stopped a Nissan Almera following an alleged minor traffic offence around 1.30pm on yesterday (Tuesday, February 18).

On stopping the vehicle they became aware of a suspicious smell and proceeded to search the car.

They discovered 61 individual packages of cannabis, a total weight of 448g and a street value of approximately £4,800, in the Nissan stopped on Hurlford Road, Kilmarnock.

A 25-year-old man was arrested and conveyed to Kilmarnock Police Office. He was released and is due to appear at court at a later date.

Inspector Greg Dinnie, of Ayrshire Road Patrol, said: “This was a significant drug recovery following a routine vehicle stop in Hurlford Road, Kilmarnock.

"Police Scotland is committed to disrupting the illicit supply of drugs in our communities and we will use every tool and tactic at our disposal to remove these illegal substances from our streets.

"We can't tackle this alone though. We rely on the support of the public to build intelligence on drug-related issues so that we can act on their concerns.

"I would urge anyone who is aware of any information about the supply of drugs to report the matter to police on 101, or anonymously through independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."