A SECOND drug syndicate member serving a jail term for his role in importing 700 kilograms of cocaine has told a jury he believed Newcastle sailor and musician Craig Lembke did not know about the drugs on board the 13-metre catamaran.
The syndicate member was giving evidence for a second day during Mr Lembke's drug importation trial in Newcastle District Court.
Crown prosecutor Rob Ranken was asking the man about a conversation during which another syndicate member tells him not to contact Mr Lembke on his "normal phone".
The members of the syndicate used encrypted phones and had monikers such as "Black Prince", "Castilian" and "Spider Wizard".
When Mr Ranken asked why he was instructed not to use Mr Lembke's "normal number", the syndicate member replied: "I think he was concerned I might say the wrong thing. "About the boat. Slip up and say the wrong thing to Craig. Because as far as I knew, Craig didn't know anything about it."
