PHONE boxes which “facilitate drug dealing” are planned for the city.

British Telecom (BT) has plans to install 26 new “smart” phone boxes across Brighton and Hove.

The touchscreen InLink kiosks are funded by advertising, provide free calls, ultra-fast wi-fi and phone-charging.

But the company has faced criticism after Metropolitan Police claimed the free call feature on the boxes was being used by addicts to buy drugs.

Calls from 18 boxes in Tower Hamlets in London were temporarily stopped after police claimed 20,000 calls were made to known drug dealers in four months.

It is rumoured one drug gang made £1.28 million worth of drug sales from one box in Whitechapel.

There are 14 phone boxes in Brighton that are planned to be replaced with the new hub.

These are:

Aldi, London Road

Queensbury House, Queen’s Road

Foodilic in North Street

Pacific House in Dyke Road

St George’s Place

Primark in Western Road

Sprinkles Gelato in West Street

The junction of North Road and Gloucester Place

The World’s End pub in London Road

University of Brighton, Grand Parade

Starbucks in Western Road, Hove

NatWest in London Road

New Look in Western Road

Aldi, London Road,

Brighton Station

The new kiosks are intended to replace 1,000 payphones across the UK.