A 20-year-old county lines drug dealer who was supplying class A drugs in Colchester has been locked up for 30 months.

Farhaan Yuusuf was selling drugs for the “Wayne” drug line which was based in Croydon for a three week period in June this year, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Yuusuf was arrested in Colchester on June 28 after police saw him go into a quiet lane and meet three known class A drug users, said Emma Nash, prosecuting.

When officers detained Yuusuf they found £500 cash in a pocket, a “burner” phone and a key to a property.

When police went to the address the tenant, who was a Class A drug user, came home and police discovered the premises were being used by the Wayne line to deal drugs in a practice known as “cuckooing”.

Officers found 37 wraps of crack cocaine at the property as well as a phone belonging to Yuusuf which contained messages related to drug dealing.

Emma Nash, prosecuting, said Yuusuf was the holder of the Wayne phone line and had played a significant role in the operation.

Yuusuf, of Croydon, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin and being in possession of criminal property.

He was sentenced to 30 months detention in a young offenders institution.

The court heard he had three previous offences for possessing class A and B drugs for which he had been fined.

Sentencing Yuusuf, Judge Emma Peters said: “This is classic county lines drug dealing operation where the Wayne line which was based in south London came up to Essex and people were dealing class A drugs to drug users in the Colchester area.

“My public duty means that I have to punish you for this and to make you and others think twice before they take part in this miserable trade.”

Barry Gilbert for Yuusuf said his client had been pressured into being involved in the supply of drugs for the Wayne line after running up a drug debt.

“It is a depressingly common feature nowadays. There will be someone who will take his place and it will carry on,” said Mr Gilbert.

He said Yuusuf wasn’t at the top of the line and wouldn’t have made much of a profit.