A man denied being involved in a drugs conspiracy which flooded Great Yarmouth with cocaine and heroin and claimed it was a shock to discover his DNA was found on some of the drugs packaging.

The 'Deano' phone line was used by the county lines gang to target known drug users in Great Yarmouth between May 2017 and June, last year, and is alleged to have heavily relied on the use of mobile phones to advertise the drugs.

Glonar Thomas, 19, from Hackney, is said to be one of the manager's involved in providing drugs to the runners but denied having any involvement.

Giving evidence at Norwich Crown Court, Thomas said he had come to Great Yarmouth for a couple of days to visit his friend, co-accused Sebastian Arenas-Valencia, 20, who was staying in the town at the time.

He said he had wanted to catch up with his friend who he had known about six years, and said they had been 'chilling' out with each other and chatting.

He claimed he had no knowledge as to why his DNA profile was found on some of the packages in which the drugs seized were found.

He told the jury: 'It was a real shock to me,'

He said the only explanation is that bags he used for his shopping had then been used for packaging some of the drugs.

Thomas said: 'A carrier bag I have got in contact with has been used.'

Asked by his barrister, Ahmed Muen, if he was involved in any conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin he replied: 'No I was not.'

He also denied that he was a 'manager' or 'lieutenant' for the operation.

He also told the jury it had been a shock to him when he was arrested for the conspiracy.

'I did not know what was going on. It was a shock to me,' he said.

Cross-examined by Darren Snow on behalf of Arenas-Valencia he denied that he was lying about being a long-term friend of Arenas-Valencia.

Thomas is on trial with William Donkoh, 31, of Brooksby's Walk, Hackney, Arenas-Valencia, from Hackney, Tatjana Reinis, 40, of Rodney Road, Great Yarmouth, Ian Starkings, 38, of Pottergate, Norwich, Irina Rasimovic, 31, of no fixed address, have all denied two counts of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug in Great Yarmouth.

The trial continues.