One of the UK’s most wanted men has been jailed for his role as an EncroChat dealer.
Dean Garforth, who was on the run for two years, was sentenced to 19 years and six months in prison at Chester Crown Court, on Thursday, January 25. The court heard how the 31-year-old, from Regency Park, Widnes, operated at the top of the chain and facilitated the supply of Class A and Class B drugs through the encrypted phones.
Garforth was using the EncroChat handle Slickcliff from March to July, 2020, to arranging for multiple deliveries of cocaine, cannabis, firearms, and ammunition in and around the North West of England. He was brought to the attention of police on Sunday, May 24, 2020, when a white Ford Transit Van failed to stop for officers on Bradley Way, Widnes.
READ MORE: Man fighting for life after being found injured in street
READ MORE:
This led to a police chase and search where a mobile phone was seized and later linked to Garforth. In October 2020, a warrant was executed at Garforth’s home address but he had fled the country to Spain and was actively evading arrest.
Over the next two years, officers spent hundreds of hours searching for Garforth, working closely with their law enforcement colleagues in Spain. The National Crime Agency and Crimestoppers named him on their most wanted campaign and two years later he was caught in Marbella.
Garforth was riding an e-bike on a street in Nueva Andalucia when he was arrested in a pre-planned operation. When he realised plain-clothed officers were closing in, Garforth, who was wearing sports clothes, sunglasses, and a cap, rode the bike into an officer and resisted arrest.
Garforth was subsequently extradited from Spain to the UK on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 . On his return, he was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis, and conspiracy to supply weapons and ammunition.
Following the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Henderson said: "Garforth, like many criminals, believed EncroChat would always be a safe and secure service to message freely and openly without being detected. Unbeknown to him, our detectives were watching – gathering evidence of his involvement in an organised crime group that sold and distributed significant quantities of Class A and B drugs.
"The encrypted device was previously perceived as being an untouchable way of communicating freely about criminality without being detected by police. Once it was cracked by law enforcement, it meant those using it would find it almost impossible to deny their involvement in serious and organised crime.
"Garforth also discussed where his OCG had hidden deadly weapons, with instructions on how to find them. These included semi-automatic assault rifles and pistols.
"Across our borders, we have witnessed the utter devastation and destruction that these firearms can bring, and I am overjoyed that another dangerous individual, who possessed and transferred guns in our county, is now facing severe consequences. This has been an extremely thorough and complex investigation, involving multiple partner agencies, but thanks to the work of our detectives who the analysed the messages, and an operation undertaken by law enforcement to have him extradited to the UK, Garforth is finally behind bars where he belongs."
There are many ways to keep up with news in Liverpool and our website is just one. Below you can find details about our premium app with a smooth interface, and no adverts. You will also find links to our breaking whatsapp community, Facebook page, our in-depth Daily Post newsletter.
Try Liverpool Echo Premium for 99p with no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features
Don’t miss the biggest and breaking news by joining our dedicated WhatsApp community. R
The Liverpool Daily Post newsletter delves into the biggest stories on Merseyside