Nicola Daley successfully prosecutes multi-million-pound cannabis trafficking operation

September 8, 2022

Nicola Daley from Exchange Chambers has successfully prosecuted a multi-million-pound drug trafficking operation.

Faye Dunn, 38, and her father Michael Dunn, 68, were involved in supplying multiple kilos of cannabis and money laundering.

Faye Dunn, of Rupert Road, Huyton, was the key player in the conspiracy. Her father had a subordinate role. Faye Dunn, who ran a number of businesses in the Liverpool area, including a restaurant and a children’s play centre, and her father, used EncroChat phones to conduct their business. These phones use heavily encrypted messages and were thought to be impenetrable by the authorities. They have been used by many organised crime gangs but the system was cracked in 2020.

Encrochat users have “handles” to identify themselves to others, rather than their real names. Faye’s “handle” during the period of the investigation, December 2019 to June 2020, was ‘stiffninja’ and Michael’s was ‘Zincbat’.

Faye Dunn was found to be in an operational role, who had influence on others, including her own father. Her role included organising the supply and movement of both drugs and cash. She acted as an accountant to the group, keeping a tally of individual transactions and recording the amounts of cash for each.

Michael Dunn carried out the handling, movement and supply of cannabis for his daughter and also met up with other co-conspirators to transfer money and arrange meetings.

In May 2020, during the first Covid-19 lockdown, Faye Dunn travelled via Ferry from Portsmouth to Santander in a Vauxhall Van insured to Michael Dunn with a significant amount of cash hidden on her. It’s thought this was meant for family members in Spain. She said she was worried that the authorities were on to her and were tracking her movements. Between December 2019 and June 2020 it is believed Faye Dunn distributed over £650,000 from her accounts, all or part were the proceeds of criminal activity.

Faye Dunn was arrested and interviewed on 13 June 2022, having returned to the UK from Spain. Michael Dunn was arrested and interviewed on 11 July 2022. Both remained silent throughout.

Faye Dunn has no previous convictions but Michael Dunn has several both in the UK and abroad, for drugs offences and burglaries. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Cannabis and offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act at earlier hearings.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: “Faye Dunn played an operational role within the drugs supply chain but appeared to have significant influence upon others in the chain, facilitating meetings between criminal associates in relation to the supply of controlled drugs, and also instructed others to undertake tasks such as the collection and movement of packages of both drugs and cash.

“Significantly, she appears to have acted as the accountant for the organised criminal enterprise and has concealed not only her EncroChat device but also cash when travelling abroad in order to evade detection by the authorities.”

Nicola Daley added: “It is the prosecution’s case that Michael Dunn willingly carried out the handling, movement and supply of cannabis for his daughter Faye.

“He also met up with other handles and arranged meetings in order to transfer money.”

On 6 September 2022, at Liverpool Crown Court, Faye Dunn was jailed for 3 years and 9 months. Michael Dunn who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and suffers from cardiovascular and mobility issues, was given a two-year jail term, suspended for two years “as a measure of mercy”. He must also complete 20 days of a Rehabilitation Activity.