A dad who started working for an alleged drugs boss known as 'Big Harry Potter' after getting into financial problems has been locked up.
John Heald, 34, still went to work at his day job as he moved drugs and cash around for a crime gang.
The hack of EncroChat by law enforcement, a secretive encrypted phone network known as WhatsApp for criminals, proved to be his downfall and the dad-of-two has now been jailed.
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He was revealed to be using an EncroChat device with the handle 'Numbkiller'.
Heald quickly became 'up to his neck' in the gang, after suffering financial problems following a cocaine addiction.
Prosecutors allege that a man named in court as Terry Robinson from Salford was the head of the gang.
He is at large and is wanted by police.
Robinson had the EncroChat handle 'Big Harry Potter'.
Manchester Crown Court heard that the gang dealt in 'very large quantities' of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine throughout Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
"The head of this group is a man called Terry Robinson," prosecutor Neil Fryman said.
"Mr Robinson is still at large, he is the EncroChat handle Big Harry Potter.
"Mr Robinson, or Big Harry Potter, was involved in buying and selling or multiple kilo amounts of cocaine and cannabis, as well as organising its collection and movement."
Mr Fryman said Heald could be linked to 2.2 kilos of cocaine, more than a kilo of cannabis and 17 kilos of ketamine.
Heald was described as a 'trusted lieutenant' of Big Harry Potter and was in almost daily contact with him.
A tick list recovered from EncroChat, a list of money owed, showed more than £530,000 was owed to the gang.
Heald claimed he was being paid between £150 and £200 for each delivery he made.
When police raided his home, Heald was working and out on a job, but was arrested later.
Officers seized £2,500 in cash, £5,170, high value designer clothes and accessories worth about £7,000, and just under a kilo of cannabis.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, ketamine and cannabis and was jailed for seven years and three months.
His barrister Mark Styles said Heald, who had no previous convictions, had fallen from grace 'in a spectacular way'.
"He got himself into difficulties with his own drug abuse," he said.
"He was used essentially as a courier, he was carrying out orders on direction.
"He got involved and he was quickly, essentially up to his neck in things.
"He was overwhelmed by what was going on, and was used by others it seems.
"He feels he has let his family down very badly, and he feels he has let himself down very badly also."
Mr Styles said Heald's life didn't show 'obvious signs of luxury', with his partner still working as a care assistant.
Sentencing, Judge Timothy Smith said: "The conspiracy with which you were involved was part of what was an extensive network of supplying large quantities of cocaine, ketamine and cannabis throughout the North West.
"You were involved directly in the sometimes daily supply of drugs and collection and delivery of money."
