A DRUG dealer who peddled heroin and crack from taxi cabs has been jailed for two years and eight months.

Victor Adetoyi had more than £1,000 worth of the substances as well as £1,680 in cash when police arrested him as he went to make a deal in the city centre.

Before officers got their hands on him the 22-year-old managed to store the 84 wraps of drugs up his backside, where he tried to keep them.

But despite refusing to allow an X-ray to take place and declining food and drink he gave in and produced the drugs.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how police launched an operation to catch the dealer earlier this year.

"They had become aware of his activities selling drugs in Salisbury, in particular his use of a taxi firm based in Salisbury," he said.

"Intelligence showed he was on the ground late in the evening of March 30 this year.

"Police in the area of Osborne House saw a car from the relevant taxi firm arrive at the location.

"It left there, went towards the city centre coming to a stop in Fisherton Street where police stepped in an arrested him."

He said that as well as the cash and a mobile phone containing two sim cards he also had a tub of Vaseline, which gave the police a clue as to where the drugs may be.

After refusing an X-ray at the Royal United Hospital in Bath he was returned to the cells at Melksham police station where he refused food and drink or to use the toilet.

"It didn't take very long: he said he had secreted the drugs in the rectum. He was provided with a plastic bag and he produced the drugs."

Mr Meeke said he had 30 deals of crack and 54 of heroin which would have been worth in the region of £1,140 on the street.

Adetoyi, of Farnham, Surrey, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply and one of having criminal property.

The court heard that in a long history of crime he was put on a suspended sentence in June last year for burglary.

Cathy Thornton, defending, said her client had been born and raised in Lewisham and went to Nigeria for three years between the ages of 15 and 18.

When he returned to the UK he was convicted of burglary and after that he started smoking cannabis, then turned to gambling running up huge debts.

The men who put him up to dealing the drugs had bought the debt off someone else, she said, and he feared for his and his family's safety if he didn't comply.

She said that £1,500 of the money had on him was to be delivered with the drugs and the remainder was for his train tickets and food.

"He panicked, that is why he didn't immediately come clean. He was in the cells at Swindon Magistrates Court when he realised it was futile," she said.

Jailing him Judge Peter Blair QC said "You are only 22 years of age and I think fairly immature in your ability to control your own life.

"There is a long way ahead for you in making sure you keep yourself away from people and influences who want you working for them in the drugs world."