Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 23, 2025

Snapchat drug dealers target Middlesbrough school children

Children as young as 14 can easily buy class A drugs using Snapchat, a BBC investigation has found.

The social media app is being used by dealers across Teesside to advertise substances and arrange drug deals.

The BBC's Inside Out used a 14-year-old decoy, whose profile clearly showed he was a schoolboy, who was able to buy two grams of MDMA.

They were picked up by an undercover reporter. The deal was arranged in seconds and was delivered in minutes.

Snapchat is a social media app that allows people to post photos and video, which then disappear once they have been read.

Our reporter discovered a number of Snapchat accounts posting regular videos showing large amounts of cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis.

Dealers post videos that promote the drugs they have for sale, as well as sending daily offers and advertisements via private messaging.

One dealer claimed to be giving away an ounce (28g) of MDMA in a raffle users could only enter if they promoted the dealer's account to two of their friends. This "prize" could have had a street value of up to £1,400.

Users in Middlesbrough can buy drugs for as little as £10.

Our reporter used Snapchat to buy cocaine in Dock Street in Middlesbrough and the MDMA was handed over in Linthorpe Road in the town during a two-week investigation.

The reporter then used a Home Office-approved kit to check the drugs were real.

Harry Shapiro, a drugs adviser, said: "There's no way you can varnish the truth about this, the worst that can happen to young people who consume a two gram bag of MDMA is they run the risk of dying. It's as simple as that."

Carson Price, from Hengoed in south Wales, died last April after taking an ecstasy pill he bought on Snapchat.

His mother Tatum Price said: "I blame Snapchat. If they were unable to advertise on Snapchat Carson wouldn't have been able to get hold of those drugs.

"I shouldn't even know where my local cemetery is, let alone go and visit my 13-year-old child."

The National Crime Agency said the issue was "alarming" and acknowledged it was a "growing threat".

Esther Rantzen, founder of Childline, said the findings were "shocking".

"I would say to Snapchat it's quite clear that you created this service to provide entertainment and fun.

"You don't want to kill children but if it's misused that will be the effect, you've got to do something to protect children, to protect young people and stop this murderous trade," she said.

Snapchat, which claims to reach more than 60% of 13-34 year-olds in the UK, said it worked with the relevant authorities to ensure it was a positive and safe environment.

It added it encouraged users to report illegal activity on the platform.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×