A TEENAGER who supplied undercover police officers with heroin regularly for a month was yesterday locked up for three-and-a-half years.

Hussam Abd was caught during Operation Drayton, which was set up to disrupt drug dealing in Middlesbrough town centre last year.

Abd was 16 when he started supplying an undercover policewoman he met at a public phone box in Woodlands Road on January 30.

A court heard that the teenager gave the officer - posing as a heroin addict - his mobile phone number after completing their first deal.

Over the next month, Abd supplied the officer a further seven times - once at a playground - with £5 deals.

Prosecutor Michael Collins said a second undercover officer bought two wraps on two occasions after meeting Abd in an alley in Albert Terrace.

On February 24, Abd was with another man when a deal was struck with the female officer for three wraps of heroin for £15.

Abd and his brother, Namir, were arrested when police were called to an unrelated disturbance at a house in Middlesbrough on March 9.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Abd gave his older brother a package of drugs to hide when officers arrived at the house in Roman Road.

But after they were put in the back of the police van, the 21-year-old panicked and handed the bag back.

Namir admitted possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and was given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Judge Peter Armstrong also ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work for the community and undergo 12 months of probation service supervision.

Hussam Abd, now 18, admitted ten counts of supplying Class A drugs, being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

The brothers, of Granville Road, Middlesbrough, had charges of assault and criminal damage from the Roman Road incident dropped.