UNDERCOVER cops posed as dodgy market traders to snare two cocaine dealers who bragged about their “professional” operation.

Reece Lee, 27, and Lee Wade, 41, were jailed for a total of more than seven years after selling an officer, known as ‘Gary’, 62 grams of the class A drug over three months.

Basildon Crown Court heard bulk buys were made for up to £620 at a time and involved 80 per cent pure cocaine.

The court heard how Lee, of Lower Avenue, Pitsea, told Gary he could supply “pretty much anything” after the pair got talking in a Basildon pub in August 2016.

Gary had set up a second-hand computer games stall on Basildon market the previous day in a bid to make contact with Lee.

Wade, of Handleys Chase, Basildon, acted as a middleman and sorted out the deals when Lee’s phone was broken or when he was out of town.

Charlotte Davison, prosecuting, said: “The offences arise out of an undercover police operation entitled Operation Rind. It involved undercover officers working on a market stall.

“The undercover officer went by the name of Gary. He met with the defendants and he indicated that he was involved in criminality.

“Reece Lee said to him ‘I think we are doing the same thing’ and said he could get ‘pretty much anything’.

“He said he did business in a professional manner and was able to deal in any weights.”

Miss Davison said that Lee said there were only two drugs he would not get involved with - crack cocaine and heroin - because they were “too deep”.

The officer reported how he witnessed Lee speaking to other people in the pub about the sale of drugs, before agreeing to pay £380 for 6.88 grams of 78 per cent pure cocaine. Lee told him the price was £1,100 for an ounce but that the price would drop for regular customers.

A week later, Gary purchased half an ounce for £620 after meeting in the car park of the Jolly Friar pub in Basildon. On a later occasion, Lee’s “assistant”, Lee Wade, delivered the drugs.

Lee admitted three counts of supplying class A drugs, one of being concerned in supply and one of production of three cannabis plants. He was jailed for four years and seven months

Wade admitted two counts of being concerned in supply and one of supplying. He was jailed for two years and ten months.

David Ryan, mitigating for Lee, said: “His life was in complete and utter chaos. He knows that he cannot go on like that.” He added that Lee, who bragged about selling £2,500 worth of cocaine in a single day, was “bigging himself up”.

Stephen Mather, mitigating for Wade, said he has no previous convictions and he “tagged along”. He said: “Obviously it suited him.” Judge Samantha Leigh said Lee had a “significant role” and was “prepared to do deals for large amounts, being able to give large discounts”.