A parrot taught to squawk the drug-dealing phrase “two for 25” has helped to bring down a gang that ran a £1m narcotics ring from a prison cell.

Owned by Shannon Hilton, the bird appeared in a video recovered from her mobile phone during a police raid, in which it repeated a phrase used by dealers to advertise two portions of cocaine for £25.

Evidence of video calls between Hilton, 29, and her boyfriend, Adam Garnett, 35, showed the parrot named Mango playing with cash earned from their drug operation in front of a child.

The weight of evidence, of which videos of the parrot were a part, enabled the police to take down the gang.

A video of Mango picking up money was shared on social media by Blackpool Police with the caption: “What’s the most talented thing your pet can do? Sit? Give paw? How about speak?

“One drug dealer’s parrot learned to say ‘two for 25’ – a phrase picked up as part of common language used by the organised crime gang run by her boyfriend. Not a phrase you want your parrot squawking when the police come knocking!”

Hilton was jailed for 12 years for her role in a criminal enterprise that moved heroin, crack cocaine, cannabis and ketamine.

In total, 15 members of the gang have been jailed for more than 103 years following an investigation by Lancashire Police.

Garnett, who directed the group using smuggled mobile phones while in prison, was also arrested.