A TEENAGE drug dealer who bought crack cocaine and heroin with a college grant to sell on the streets of Ipswich is today starting a two-year custodial sentence.

A TEENAGE drug dealer who bought crack cocaine and heroin with a college grant to sell on the streets of Ipswich is today starting a two-year custodial sentence.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that Darrell Sarpong, of Newham, London, had travelled to Ipswich with 168 clear wraps of crack-cocaine and 58 blue wraps of heroin.

The drugs were discovered by police in a bedroom above a cafe in the town centre where the 18-year-old was staying on a bed and breakfast basis, after he had been seen in the town centre with other known dealers.

Christopher Morgan, prosecuting, said when police raided the room on March 30 this year, £475 in cash was found on Sarpong along with a mobile telephone and a piece of paper containing “workings out”.

The court heard that the drugs were found in a crisp packet. Mr Morgan said the 33.3 grams of crack-cocaine and the 9.47 grams of heroin were valued at £3,250.

Sarpong, of Keogh Road, pleaded guilty to two charges of intending to supply Class A drugs.

Benjamin Gordon, mitigating, said his client was only 17 when he committed the offences and had used money saved from a college grant to buy the drugs to sell for profit.

He said Sarpong had left school with qualifications and had been to college to study Information Technology.

The court heard Sarpong was of previous good character and was not a drug user.

Judge David Goodin said crack and heroin caused “dependency, degradation and sometimes death.”

Sarpong was sentenced to a two-year detention and training order.

The drugs, mobile phone and cash were confiscated.

Should more be done to combat drug dealing? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk