Francis Ventre was unaware that the password would help investigators prove his involvement in the deals
Francis Ventre, 63
A former footballer who used his old club’s name as the password for a phone involved in drug trafficking has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
Former Barrow A.F.C. defender Francis Ventre played a key role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and ketamine valued at £479,500, Liverpool Crown Court was told on Monday (February 2). The 63-year-old had no idea that the password would ultimately help detectives establish his connection to the dealings, which took place using a highly encrypted device between April and June 2020.
The handset, referred to as an EncroChat phone, is frequently used by criminals to communicate secretly with one another under pseudonyms. However, an international law enforcement operation successfully infiltrated the network in 2020, revealing millions of exchanges.
Among the communications were those from Ventre, operating under the username ‘Dillforest’. His exchanges were examined by detectives, who determined he was playing a leading role in the supply of harmful Class A and Class B drugs.
National Crime Agency (NCA) Senior Manager Jon Hughes, of Merseyside OCP, said: “It was clear from Dillforest’s messages that he was playing a leading role in the sale of cocaine and ketamine, two drugs which are extremely harmful and a terrible blight on communities. My officers spent countless hours sifting through messages to painstakingly piece together clues to Dillforest’s real-world identity, eventually uncovering Francis Ventre as the man behind the alias.
“The investigators’ hard work has ensured that Ventre is in prison, and not out in Liverpool, still selling, delivering and profiting from drugs.”
The messages showed ‘Dillforest’ offered contacts cocaine and ketamine, sometimes delivering them himself, and also directed others where to deliver the illegal substances. He also shared images of the drugs he was supplying.
In total, it was found he was involved in the supply of a kilogram (kg) of cocaine and 63kg of ketamine – with street values of £38,500 and £441,000, respectively.
Investigators at Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership spent hours trawling through thousands of messages to look for details ‘Dillforest had shared about himself and his relatives, including the day and month of his birth and his postcode.
These, in combination with the password of ‘barrow’ – revealed in the international operation into EncroChat – meant officers were able to prove that the former Barrow A.F.C. footballer Francis Ventre was behind the deals.
Police arrested Ventre, of West Derby, Liverpool, at his home address on November 25, 2025 and subsequently charged him with a number of drugs offences.
Faced with the evidence against him, Ventre pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply ketamine and conspiracy to convert criminal property at Liverpool Crown Court on December 10, 2025. He was sentenced at the same court.
