A man accused of being a ‘high level’ drug dealer was found with body armour, CS gas and a machete, a trial has heard. Lee Standen, 42, is alleged to be involved in the supply of cocaine across Wigan during the 2020 and 2021. Prosecutors allege that he had an Encrochat device, and used the handle ‘AleZebra’ as part of the conspiracy. After the encrypted system was broken into by law enforcement, Mr Standen was arrested as part of the conspiracy, it was said. At his home, officers found drugs, body armour, CS gas and a machete, jurors heard. Read more: “I don’t give a f*** about your children”: The ‘sexually disinhibited’ gran who flashed breasts in view of kids and groped woman in nightclub Read more: “If you tell anyone, I’ll smoke you”: Man abducted victim and raped him in the street before holding gun to his head in horror attack “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 individuals.” Manchester Crown Court heard that Wigan had a drug problem, particularly cocaine, between 2020 and 2021. Prosecutors said that a conspiracy involving a number of men saw the supply of ‘tens of kilograms’ of cocaine throughout the area. Jurors were told that 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. The prosecutor said that whilst others have admitted they were involved, it showed it was proof the conspiracy existed, but it did not mean that Mr Standen was involved as well. Mr Barnes told jurors that Mr Standen was the user of the Encrochat handle ‘AleZebra’ and alluded to a number of messages in which he discussed going to Liverpool for ‘work’. He said ‘work’ was slang for ‘drugs’. In further messages, ‘AleZebra’ then said he wouldn’t do that as he had ‘already done five for that’. “AleZebra had already talked about sourcing cocaine and at the last minute he changed his mind. AleZebra did not want to go to Liverpool as he had ‘done five’ – he had done a five year sentence for it,” Mr Barnes said. The prosecutor told jurors that Mr Standen had a conviction in 2008 for supplying cocaine in Liverpool, for which he was jailed for five years. In another set of messages with a handle attributed to Nathan Cooke, Cooke sent ‘AleZebra’ a picture of a blister pack of tablets with the message: “Post them for ya mate.” Seven minutes later he sent a message saying: “Sorted.” He also said that somebody using the handle ‘InvisibleSnow’ sent ‘AleZebra’ a picture of tens of thousands of pounds in cash. Prosecutors said that Mr Standen had another phone ‘not used for criminality’ which would often be picked up in the same places as the Encrophone by cell site analysts. The court heard that Greater Manchester Police officers went to Mr Standen’s home address to hand him a warning notice that he was under threat. Officers spoke to him and gave him the piece of paper, it was said. “As soon as he had been given that piece of paper, AleZebra was to send pictures of that piece of paper to other people and tell them about that piece of paper. He was talking about something that had just happened,” Mr Barnes said. It was alleged that a number of messages discussed the sale of a kilo of cocaine for £42,500, before ‘AleZebra’ wrote: “Got work tomorrow so it’s OK for that kilo.” After the infiltration of Encrochat by law enforcement, police arrested a number of people, including Mr Standen. “There was some cocaine in his house, and there was also digital scales, body armour, CS gas and a machete,” Mr Barnes continued. “It is a dangerous business, and these, we allege, are the tools of those involved. “Officers also found cryptocurrency documents and cash. Mr Standen was taken to the police station and questioned, where he answered no comment. “AleZebra was knowingly involved in the conspiracy, and the Crown allege that AleZebra was Lee Standen.” Mr Standen, of Liverpool Road, Hindley, denies conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to possess criminal property. The trial, which is estimated to last over two weeks, continues.
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