A DJ turned dealer used his "big horrible mate" to enforce a £100,000 drug debt and saw £15,000 as small change.
Martin Lamb secretly used the codename "Masked Swan" as he trafficked up to 123kg of heroin, cocaine and cannabis. The profits of his involvement in the underworld and connections abroad allowed him to pay for a luxury apartment in an exclusive gated development overlooking Sefton Park as he shipped drugs as far afield as London and South Yorkshire.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Tuesday, that the 34-year-old was identified as the EncroChat user "MaskedSwan" as other contacts had this handle saved on their devices under names including "Mart", "Martin", "Mart Lamb", "Martin Kettle" and "Martin Lamb". Henry Riding, prosecuting, described how he also gave out his address on Ibbotsons Lane, near Sefton Park in messages to others and referred to having an auntie who worked as a nurse at Whiston Hospital as well as driving a "blue Q5" having been the registered keeper of such an Audi car.
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Lamb was further incriminated having sent pictures of his flat to other users, as well as an image of himself holding a quantity of cannabis in which a hand was seen and the fingerprints were matched to his own. During one exchange, a co-conspirator referred to Spain reopening its borders following the covid pandemic on June 12 2020 and said: "That's my birthday, hopefully get a nice present from Spain."
The defendant replied "haha nice mate, mine's the week after", his birthday being exactly seven days after this date. Lamb's communications demonstrated that he had been involved in the supply of up to 3kg of cocaine, 6kg of heroin and 114kg of cannabis.
The "family man" was said to have been "directing or organising the buying and selling of drugs on a commercial scale" and "had substantial links to and influence on others". He also boasted "close links to the original source with contacts abroad", who were able to import drugs, and "had an expectation of substantial" gain as he supplied others in locations such as Manchester, Doncaster and the capital.
On one occasion, Lamb added a six per cent levy on a transaction as his buyer wanted to pay using Euros. He also described taking a man who he described as his "big horrible Serbian mate" to "exert pressure on someone who owed him £100,000".
Meanwhile, another user known as "GingerScarab" spoke with him about being "short changed" £14,800 by saying: "It's like change for both of us. Especially you."
Overall, Lamb had 27 other handles stored in his contact list and had been in communication with 20 during the period in which data was captured between March and June 2020. But his operation was "up and running and clearly well-established" by this time.
Traces of white powder and just over 5g of cannabis was discovered by police upon his arrest on May 9 last year. Mr Riding added: "He established a thriving drug trafficking business in which he received discounts, given the size of his purchases."
Former international DJ and qualified personal trainer Lamb has no previous convictions. Paul Becker, defending, told the court: "The defendant was a broker, a middle man, a trader, a facilitator.
"There is no suggestion the defendant was in an organised crime group or had a team below him. He seems to be operating in business in his own right.
"This defendant is a family man. The defendant comes from a hard-working and respectable family.
"The defendant has expressed his remorse. The defendant appreciates how dangerous drugs are and the misery they bring to society.
"He has brought shame on himself and embarrassment to his family. He was operating as a DJ in nightclubs and bars in this country and abroad and over time, sadly, developed a cocaine addiction.
"He got in over his head. He was in with a bad crowd.
"References speak of a different person, and there is a prospect of the defendant rehabilitating his life upon his release. In my submission, the defendant has learned his lesson."
Lamb admitted conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis and possession of cocaine during an earlier hearing. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse this afternoon, he was jailed for 10 years.
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: "As you are only too well aware, cocaine and heroin destroy the lives of those addicted to these drugs and devastate their families. This trade supports crime at all levels.
"This trade goes hand in hand with violence and threats of violence, which you yourself were prepared to make to enforce debts that had been accrued. While you were sitting in your flat believing you were insulated from this trade, every kilo you supplied left behind a trail of shattered lives.
"I am satisfied that you express genuine remorse for your involvement in this activity. The hope is, when you are released from this sentence, you will be able to lead a productive and industrious family life - time, of course, will tell."
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