Start to identify spot to pick up bit of illicit dope (5)
I believe the answer is:
idiot
'dope' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'start to identify spot to pick up bit of illicit' is the wordplay.
'start to' indicates taking the first letters.
'spot' becomes 'dot' (I've seen this before).
'to pick up' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'bit of' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'identify' is 'i'.
The first letter of 'illicit' is 'i'.
'dot' enclosing 'i' is 'diot'.
'i'+'diot'='IDIOT'
(Other definitions for idiot that I've seen before include "Charlie" , "Dunce" , "Clot" , "Dipstick" , "Village character" .)