Ex-England footballer turned drugs boss snared at Manchester Airport after living glam life with 'Led Zeppelin'

A former England footballer who worked as an accountant for a drug gang enjoyed a glamorous lifestyle with a drug dealer who named himself 'Led Zeppelin'.

Faye Dunn, 38, was jailed for three years and nine months last week after a court heard how she laundered money for a drug gang. The mum became involved in the underworld when her business ventures began to falter due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Dunn, who once played for Tranmere Rovers and England Under 19s, began using the EncroChat phone network to launder money and supply cannabis. Operation Venetic officers arrested her at Manchester Airport in June on suspicion of drug offences.

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The court heard that she used the EncroChat handle 'StiffNinja' to communicate with a user known as 'LedZeppelin'. Court documents seen by the ECHO revealed that this handle was used by Liverpool man Stephen Canty.

Barrister Nicola Daley told the court on April 2, 2020 Dunn sent a tick list to Mr Canty, showing an income of £1,155,548, and details of expenditure worth £431,700. Ms Daley said that the list included £100,000 spent on a house, £25,000 on cars and £21,500 on a watch.

On May 8, 2020 Dunn took the car ferry from Portsmouth to Santander in northern Spain, when she was in frequent contact with Mr Canty. When asked by Mr Canty if the authorities asked to see her rent statement or phone, said replied: “No they asked me to email it but I blagged the feller and made him half forget so he let me just do him…. If was a problem they wouldn’t av let me go?

"Plus I didn’t act one bit fazed so I