Car valeting business hid a major drugs op

"HIGH-RANKING' DEALER WAS CAUGHT UPLOADING PICTURE ON ENCROCHAT

- AMY WALKER

A VIOLENT 'high-ranking' drug dealer has been jailed for 19 years after being caught uploading a picture of himself on to EncroChat.

Lee Standen, 42, was convicted of being involved in the supply of cocaine across Wigan during 2020. Prosecutors alleged that he had an EncroChat device and used the handle 'AleZebra' as part of the conspiracy.

Standen had created a car valeting business to hide his criminality and give a 'veneer of being a self respecting, self employed business, the court heard. However, after the encrypted system was broken into by law enforcement, Standen was arrested as part of the conspiracy and officers found drugs, body armour, CS gas and a machete at his home.

"The drugs must come from somewhere, someone keeping their distance, hiding from the law, at a high level making the big bucks," prosecutor Phil Barnes said. "The prosecution say this defendant is one of those individu-

At a trial at Manchester Crown Court, jurors heard that Wigan had a drug problem, particularly cocaine, during 2020. Prosecutors said that a conspiracy involving a number of men saw the supply of 'tens of kilograms' of cocaine throughout the area.

Eight men, namely Dean Smallwood, Jamie Kenny, Leon Kenny, Nathan Cooke, Sam Causer, Nathan Hart, Ian Ormshaw and Daryl Golding, have already admitted their involvement.