A "sophisticated" organised crime gang flooded the streets of Leeds with cocaine - but were caught out after police infiltrated their encrypted messages.
Mathew Manners, 43, had been messaging a supplier in London who agreed to stump up the drugs in exchange for cash. The drugs were then dropped off in the LS11 area of Leeds, close to the home of Manners' "trusted associate" Benjamin Connor, 29, who would pick them up.
Leeds Crown Court heard on Tuesday that at least 15kg of cocaine was bought by Manners and Connor between March and September 2020. Connor was caught by police with some of the drug in the July after he had collected it from an address in Basildon. Prosecutor Robert Stevenson told the court: "By way of overview, between the start of the police investigation in March 2020 and the arrest of Matthew Manners in September 2020, he was a principle member of an organised crime gang involved in the large scale acquisition and distribution of class A drugs."
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Both Connor and Manners had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Connor was already in custody having previously been sentenced to six-and-a-half-years for a drugs charge and one of dangerous driving which related to the day of his arrest in July 2020.
Mr Stevenson told the court that Manners used "encrypted mobile phones in the hope of keeping messages hidden from police." He said: "Operation Venetic allowed the police to get into them. Matthew Manners was involved in multi-kilo buys and distribution of cocaine."
It was said Manners worked alongside a supplier who himself had a network of couriers to deliver the drugs. He and a number of the couriers have already been sentenced. The court heard March 2020 would not have been the first time Manners had had contact with the supplier.
Mr Stevenson said that in March 2020, he made arrangements for the supply of cocaine and a price of £42,000 was agreed. It was the first of a number of deals the prosecution spoke of during the sentencing hearing.
As he jailed Manners for 12 years and Connor an additional two years on top of the six-and-a-half-year sentence, Recorder Serr said at least 15kg of cocaine was bought from the supplier between the offending period.
The court heard that one of the suppliers spoke to delivery driver Manners in an encrypted chat with the username "Million Maker" and that the password Connor was to give a number of times as he met them was "Million."
Another member of the gang went by the username "Special Falcon."
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Connor used an app named Wicker under the name "Big Fish 2018." The rest of the gang then moved to the app after it was discovered police had managed to compromise Encrochat, Mr Stevenson said.
Despite Connor being arrested in July 2020, Manners was not until September the same year. Mr Stevenson said: "Officers went to Hermes in Normanton to arrest him while he was preparing to depart. Officers seized two mobile phones, a Samsung and an iPhone. The Samsung password used for an online account was the same used to access notes on an Encrochat associated with him.
"Officers found several pairs of designer trainers at his home. He made no comment in interview."
Mr Stevenson said Manners, of Sovereign House in Castleford, had previous convictions for offences such as possession with intent to supply drugs and possession of a firearm. Connor had previous for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, namely MDMA, cocaine and ketamine.
Matthew Harding, for Manners, said he had been recalled to prison during the pandemic but has been given "enhanced status" on his wing due to good behaviour. He said: "He has made a positive impact in prison and works with more vulnerable prisoners. a senior prison officer has said he is helping younger prisoners avoid making the same mistakes he has made. He is a model prisoner."
Ms Frith, for Connor, said there was no indication he was living a luxury lifestyle and became involved in the distribution of cocaine after his work in events management dried up due to the pandemic. She said he needed more money to fund his cocaine habit and his partner did not know what he was doing.
The barrister said: "She [his partner] makes it clear that he has had to make progress for her to stay around. He was an enhanced prisoner at HMP Humber before being moved to open conditions at HMP Hatfield."
Recorder Serr said: "This was a large scale operation involving an organised criminal grouping. Matthew Manners, you were a key member of the organised crime gang. It was a highly sophisticated operation involving multiple amounts of multi-kilo purchases and couriers."
