POLICE warned that a Swindon teen’s life could be in danger after he found himself caught in a dangerous drugs gang, a court heard.

The boy was just 16 when he was twice picked up by police in summer 2016 on Broadgreen streets with up to £330-worth of heroin and crack cocaine hidden in his underwear. Officers also seized valuable mobile phones with the prized contact numbers for Swindon drug addicts.

The boy, now 17, who as a child cannot be named, was part of a so-called county lines drug gang nicknamed Santana.

Magistrates heard that the teen had moved away from Swindon after being caught with the gang, but had since returned to live with his parents. Julie Coleman, of Swindon Borough Council’s youth offending team, said of the move: “I don’t know how sensible that is. There are still so many risks with him.

“When the police get to the stage where they are issuing a threat to life letter he needs to think very seriously about it.”

Nick Barr, prosecuting, said the teen was twice arrested as part of a much larger undercover police operation into the Santana drugs gang. “He’s one of those who will be at the bottom end of the food chain,” he said.

The gang’s runner was first arrested in June 2016 on Manchester Road. Mr Barr added: “He was found to be in possession of an iPhone, a black Nokia mobile phone and £200 in cash.” A strip search revealed £330-worth of crack cocaine and heroin hidden in his boxer shorts.

The following month he was again stopped by police and searched under drugs laws. During the strip search “class A drugs again fell from his shorts”, Mr Barr said.

He was charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to four counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Defending, Mark Glendenning said his client had been exploited “in every sense of the word” by the London gang. He questioned his client’s belief that he had not been coerced, saying: “Pressure is placed upon you. Once you get caught the first time you’ve lost a quantity of product. What is more difficult for them is the loss of the mobile phone. An active drug line with all the contacts is worth a considerable amount of money.

“Once you’re in you’re in, and it’s very difficult to get out.

“He is 15 when this first starts. He is offered through others the chance to make easy money, new trainers, new clothes and so forth. It’s something he’s probably going to grasp with both hands.”

Mr Glendenning said his client had made early guilty pleas and accepted what he did was wrong. “He has brought in his suitcase this morning fully accepted to be sent to youth detention,” he said.

Miss Coleman added: “I’m going to ask you to give him an opportunity. I know this was a lot of drugs, but he was in a very different place and I don’t think he recognises he’s been exploited. But he has.

Magistrates spared the teen jail, giving him an 18-month youth rehabilitation order with an intensive supervision and surveillance order. He must wear an electronic tag and keep to a 7pm to 7am curfew. The court ordered costs of £85 and a £20 victim surcharge.