A teenager responsible for running a county line selling crack cocaine and heroin was found with more than £4,000 worth of class A drugs following a raid in the city, a court has heard.

Yaqub Hippolite, 19, was found by police to be the line holder of the so called "Kano' county line, supplying class A drugs to addicts in Norwich in July and August last year.

Norwich Crown Court heard Hippolite was found with 80 wraps of drugs worth £4,000 as well as £4,470 in cash when police raided an address at Jolly Gardeners Court in the city in August last year.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Crown CourtNorwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Peter Gair, prosecuting, said Hippolite played a "significant role" in that he had "possession of the line", or the main mobile phone, through which users were informed about drugs for sale.

He said Hippolite was found to have been sending out bulk texts advertising heroin and cocaine for sale to drug users, including one message sent in July last year sent to 335 users.

Hippolite, from Middlesex, appeared at court on Friday after admitting being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine as well as possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine.

Eastern Daily Press: Yaqub HippoliteYaqub Hippolite (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)He also admitted possession of criminal property.

Sentencing Hippolite to 30 months in a young offenders' institution (YOI) Judge Anthony Bate said the teenager had "become ensnared into the murky world of class A drug dealing".

Eastern Daily Press: Judge Anthony BateJudge Anthony Bate (Image: Newsquest)Judge Bate said and had been the "principal line holder", playing a "significant role" in the Kano drugs chain.

He said the offences were "so serious that only immediate detention was justified".

Matthew Sorel-Cameron, mitigating, said the defendant got himself involved with an individual who was "clearly involved in drug dealing" and "accepts responsibility for what followed thereafter".

He said Hippolite had been asked to "hold a substantial amount of money" which was subsequently stolen resulting in a debt which was "held over him".

Mr Sorel-Cameron said Hippolite had "pressure put on him to pay off a debt".

He added the defendant's "relative youth" was a significant factor in the offending.