One of the five men arrested during a recent Whitehorse drug bust pleaded guilty to selling Ecstasy today, but indicated he will fight the more serious charges against him.

Shaun Naidu admitted to selling 800 Ecstasy pills to a drug dealer turned police informant in September of this year, and for breaching a probation order to keep the peace.

In return for his guilty pleas, the Crown dropped four other charges against Naidu.

Defence and prosecution lawyers entered a joint sentencing submission recommending Naidu be given 15 months in jail.

He has already served 77 days, worth four months using the typical 1 1/2 credit given to time served before trial or sentencing.

Naidu is also charged with conspiracy to traffic drugs, a much more serious and uncommon charge laid against high-level drug dealers.

He has pleaded not guilty to that charge, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled.

At Naidu's bail hearing, his lawyer, Daniel Geller, said the conspiracy charges were the weakest he's ever seen. He criticized the RCMP for cutting a deal with a prolific cocaine trafficker in order to catch a handful of low-level dealers.

Naidu, 28, was arrested along with John "Yada” Vanderheide, 37, of Surrey, B.C.; Liam Leslie, 33; Ryan Derkson, 26; and Jesse Ritchie, 33; all of Whitehorse, on Sept. 24.

Police searched three homes, two in Whitehorse and one in Surrey, B.C.

They found approximately 1 1/5 kilograms of cocaine, 1,300 tablets of Ecstasy and more than $15,000 in cash, according to RCMP spokesman Sgt. Don Rogers.

The five men were described as being "at the top of the drug food chain” by Sgt. Blake Wawryk, head of Whitehorse's drug squad.

Today, Naidu's lawyer asked that the $2,700 found in Naidu's home be returned to his client because it is not drug money.

Naidu had a dog breeding business at the time of the bust, Geller explained, and the money was earned selling puppies, nine of which were in the house when Naidu was arrested.

Geller also noted that the business has folded since Naidu went behind bars.

He said the dogs typically sold for between $1,500 and $2,200 each. This elicited a comment from Wawryk, who was sitting in the gallery throughout today's hearing.

"On the wire (Naidu) said the dogs sold for $750 each and that none had been sold,” prosecutor Peter Chisolm told the judge after speaking to Wawryk.

He was referring to information gathered by police via a wire tap worn by the informant.

"Why would I spend $2,700 on feed if I was only selling them for $750?” Naidu demanded loudly before his lawyer told him to keep quiet.

Geller also asked the judge to order Naidu be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.

Naidu is one of at least two inmates at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre who came down with flu symptoms during H1N1 season.

After coming down with a high fever and other symptoms, Naidu was sent back to a 24-man dorm and told to continue working in the kitchen, Geller told the judge.

Four days later, it was confirmed he had contracted swine flu and was put in a "filthy cell, given a bucket of bleach and a pair of gloves and told to clean it,” Geller said.

In spite of repeated requests by Geller, Naidu has still not been seen by a doctor and has been suffering from migraines and blurred vision since falling sick. He is still working in the jail kitchen, the court heard.

Territorial court Judge Karen Ruddy said she had no authority to make an order that Naidu be seen by a doctor, but "highly recommended” he get medical attention within the next seven days.

She sentenced Naidu to the suggested 15 months, with four months' credit for time servied.

She declined to give the $2,700 back to Naidu, saying there was sufficient evidence it was earned through drug sales.