A TEEN was found with 50 wraps of heroin and cocaine, cash, phones and a lock knife.

Police said the 16-year-old boy had been arrested on suspicion of dealing drugs as part of a crack down on a gang suspected of selling crack and heroin in Eldene. The young gang is said to have been aping the tactics used by County Lines drug networks, including employing children as runners.

Officers raided a number of homes in east Swindon earlier this month. And on Friday, officers from the Community Tasking Team raided a house in Liden last Friday, seizing a machete, baseball bat and a small amount of cannabis.

PC Victoria Barker, from the Community Tasking Team, said: “We know the local communities in this area of Swindon are concerned about drug dealing and we would like to thank everyone for their support while we carry out this proactive work.

“We do appreciate that the vast majority of people in Eldene and Liden want to help the police and I want to thank everyone who provides information that assists with our enquiries – we do act on intelligence and we are making a difference every time we seize illegal drugs and disrupt illegal activity.”

Earlier this month, Insp David Tippetts of the South Swindon Community Policing Team, warned youngsters against dealing drugs: “Despite the glamour that’s portrayed it’s not very glamorous.”