Teen dealer ‘too young’ for jail

A ROUTINE intercept led to police busting a drug-dealing teen in Belmont.

The 17-year-old boy was in a car with two friends when police discovered him with a range of drugs and paraphernalia late last year.

He faced a children’s court hearing yesterday during which he pleaded guilty to trafficking ecstasy and drug possession.

A police prosecutor said officers noticed the boy acting suspiciously in the back seat of the car on Belmont St about 3.10am on November 19.

A search found he was carrying 8.74g of ecstasy, 28 capsules, five Xanax tablets and numerous zip lock bags that were either empty or had traces of powder in them.

The teen’s phone was also seized and showed several messages related to drug dealing and a photo of a powdered substance in a bag.

He later made full admissions and said he was trafficking drugs because he needed money.

His lawyer said that the teen’s drug use started after he suffered an injury in January last year, and it eventually evolved to dealing.

“He hadn’t thought how serious trafficking was until he was arrested,” the lawyer said.

A magistrate placed the boy on a youth supervision order for six months.

“It really is serious,” the magistrate said. “If you’re 18 ... the first thing a magistrate looks at is how long I’m going to send him to prison.

“You’re too young to go to prison.”