A DRUG dealer who had £1,850 of drugs hidden in his underpants has been locked up for three years.

A second man, who was caught in the car with him in Barrow, has been jailed for 30 months.

Preston Crown Court heard Ryan Finlay, 20, and Paul Thompson were caught out following an investigation into a “dirty phone” police believed was being used to arrange the supply of drugs into Barrow from Liverpool.

The court was told Thompson had squandered £50,000 from a house sale on heroin since 2013.

Paul Cummings, prosecuting, told the court: "The phone was linked to a Vauxhall Astra which was seen driving around in Barrow.”

Officers from Cumbria Constabulary watched as a number of drugs transactions appeared to take place in the vehicle before swooping on the Astra.

Finlay was carrying a single rock of crack, a mobile phone and cash, while Thompson’s pockets contained two burnt pieces of foil, a roll of tinfoil and a mobile phone.

A mobile phone, which Finlay said was his work phone, in the centre console of the car rang constantly while the men were being searched, the court heard.

When officers told the men they would be taken for extensive body searches, Finley confessed he had two Kinder eggs containing drugs tucked in the gusset of his underpants.

He also said he had swallowed six wraps of crack, although a scan later failed to reveal the drugs.

Finlay pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply £1,240 of heroin and £620 of cocaine.

Thompson admitted being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Thompson, an electrical engineer from Ramsden Street, Barrow, said he was not involved in dealing drugs but later admitted he was the runner in Barrow.

Judge Pamela Badley, sentencing, said: “The fact he has been a heroin addict for a number of years puts the public at risk.”

The court heard Thompson had been clean of his addiction between 1996 and 2013 but had since spiralled out of control.

Finlay, 20, of Dane Street, Liverpool, said he had been sent to Barrow to clear a drugs debt to dealers in Liverpool and was too afraid to refuse.

Judge Badley jailed Thompson for 30 months and sent Finlay to a young offenders institute for three years.

She ordered the drugs and mobile phones should be destroyed and both men must pay a £120 surcharge.