Scandal of the region’s teenage drug dealers

Jan 24 2010 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

CHILDREN as young as 13 have been caught dealing drugs in the North, the Sunday Sun can reveal.

A total of 234 youngsters aged 13 to 17 have been arrested over the last three years for dealing in all manner of drugs from heroin and methadone to cocaine, cannabis and speed.

And, alarmingly, three forces – Cumbria, Cleveland and Northumbria – admitted they had collared 13-year-olds in some of their swoops.

The worst figures, which the Sunday Sun has obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, were in Cleveland, where 37 teenagers were arrested for drugs supply offences last year.

A total of 24 – one of whom was just 13 – risked long prison terms after cops arrested them on suspicion of dealing class A drugs, the category for the most dangerous drugs including heroine and crack.

This was in stark contrast to the figures supplied by the force in 2006.

Then, we reported that only two children had been arrested for class C drugs which includes cannabis.

Of the other force areas, Northumbria arrested 12 children for dealing – four for cocaine – Cumbria 13 and Durham had dealt with nine children.

Experts, however, believe the numbers are low and don’t reflect the true picture of youths embroiled in drugs at all levels.

It is also believed that many had drugs for their own use.

Ronnie Campbell, Labour MP for Blyth Valley, believes many teen dealers get involved in the drugs world through their parents, who are either users or dealers themselves.

He said: “It all starts in the home. I’ve been hearing of young kids dealing in drugs after watching their parents dealing.

“They think they can make a few bob and so get involved themselves and once they start earning money, that’s a drug in itself.

“It definitely goes on, and the young dealers are selling drugs to kids their own age.”