Court hears former top cop Mark Standen 'used inside knowledge' to tip off accomplice

By LISA DAVIES From: The Daily Telegraph March 22, 2011 2:36PM

A FORMER top cop allegedly used his inside knowledge to tell an accomplice what might alert customs officers to suspicious goods on Sydney's docks.

The trial of former NSW Crime Commission officer Mark Standen has also heard him say he just wanted to "get the slate clean", in reference to his personal financial debts.

The jury has today been played a lengthy conversation between Standen and one alleged accomplice, foodstuffs businessman Bakhos "Bill" Jalalaty, recorded by a listening device secretly placed in the former cop’s mobile telephone.

The conversation on September 15 2007 records Standen telling Jalalaty that customs would look for "wrongly described goods, undervalued goods” and that depending on the country from where the products came it was like comparing "apples and oranges".

He also allegedly told Jalalaty that there were currently some "big projects on tobacco".

Jalalaty, a business owner, told him: "Listen it’s worth the risk … first container will be anything, I think it’s just rice."

Standen, 54, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with James Kinch and Jalalaty between early 2006 and June 2008 to import pseudoephedrine, used to make the drugs speed and ice.

The former NSW Crime Commission assistant director of investigations also denied taking part in the supply of 300kg of the substance and conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The Crown alleged the plot involved Standen's friend Jalalaty using his food business to import the pseudoephedrine in a consignment of rice from Pakistan.

The case before Justice Bruce James continues.