THE accused leader of an alleged heroin dealing gang is not the operation's "Mr Big", according to his defence lawyers.
Edward Badago, 35, is on trial for conspiring to supply thousands of pounds of heroin into the city every day, along with Adrian Owen, 32, and Jolene Thompson-Carney, 31.
He was arrested when £53,000 was found stuffed in designer handbags in his caravan at High Farm County Park in Routh.
A further £7,140 was found in a JD Sports bag and £4,448 was found in the wardrobe, along with designer watches and clothes.
Prosecuting, Patrick Palmer, claims Mr Badago is the "ring leader" of the gang, and "managed" Mr Owen and Ms Thompson-Carney in dealing the class A drug from "safe houses" in Swinderby Garth, Bransholme and Mullion Close, east Hull.
But Mark McKone, defending Mr Badago, whose wife Lisa, 23, is also being tried for laundering £26,000, said there is no evidence he was part of the alleged operation.
While cross-examining Detective Constable Stuart Russell, an expert witness, Mr McKone said: "There was no heroin in the caravan, or scales or powder or dealer lists.
"If you look at that point in isolation, it doesn't suggest he is a heroin dealer.
"The prosecution say that could be explained away by the fact the gang's 'Mr Big' would employ other people to look after the drugs and the paraphernalia.
"On the other hand, Mr Badago could say it could be explained by the fact he was not involved in heroin dealing."
DC Russell told the jury how the heroin in Hull was coming from Sheffield, Liverpool, Bradford and Scunthorpe.
The prosecution believe Mr Badago was responsible for getting the heroin in bulk into Hull and then sending it onto Swinderby Garth and Mullion Close where it would be packaged up.
Then, scores of drug dealers would each buy hundreds of pounds of the drug each day and sell it on the streets.
Mr McKone said it was unlikely Badago was the gang leader because they would not keep large amounts of cash for fear of being caught.
But Mr Russell said: "That is not necessarily the case. They will always try to minimise the risk of being caught, but at some stage they have to take possession of the money. That is what they do it for, their whole motivation of drug dealing is to make money.
"There is evidence in my opinion, that would qualify as an inference that Mr Badago is a manager."
The trial continues.
