Paul Farrelly appeared in crown court this week after being stopped on the East Lancs Road last month
Sacks of ketamine found in the back of a Volkswagen van on the East Lancs Road
A warning has been sent to those involved in a £17m shipment of ketamine which saw a cocaine-addicted courier jailed this week. Appearing in Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, October 23, Paul Farrelly was sentenced to five years and four months in prison, with the court hearing how he lives in a “world of fear”.
Farrelly, 46, was stopped on the East Lancs Road on September 16 by officers at around 4.30pm. When they approached the van, he was acting nervously with officers before they searched the Volkswagen Crafter van to find 22 sacks of ketamine.
When officers looked closer, they found a further 13 sacks of ketamine hidden in a stack of kitchen countertops which had been used as a hide, with the 35 sacks each containing 25kg of the class B drug, totalling a “truly staggering” 875kg. Farrelly, of Redbank Close, Fazakerley, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing before appearing in crown court this week, with his lawyer, Julian Nutter, telling the court how he had been exploited after running up the drug debt.
Farrelly was found with three mobile phones, none of which he allowed police access to.
Speaking to the ECHO, Det Chief Insp Tony Roberts sent a warning to those who are yet to face justice. He said: “Paul Farelly, on the recovery of the substance within the vehicle, was arrested, and he was taken into custody and has since been charged with possession with intent to supply class B controlled drugs.
Paul Farrelly, 46, of Redbank Close, Fazakerley
“In terms of Paul Farrelly himself, what I will say is it was a proactive investigation, and it was a stop by matrix officers of Merseyside Police.
“We know that Paul Farrelly wouldn’t have been acting alone in terms of that and in terms of his position in an organised crime group.
“What I hope this does is demonstrate and provide confidence and reassurance to the public and our communities of the work that Merseyside Police and our partners, the National Crime Agency, are doing to really tackle organised crime and the issues that it brings within our community.”
The haul had a street value estimated to be worth in the region of £17m, with a wholesale value of around £2m.
DCI Roberts not only warned those linked to the historic drug haul but also warned those using the drug as ketamine use surges across the UK.
He said: “What I would say for our vulnerable members of the community who are using ketamine is that it can be fatal. We’ve seen a couple of really tragic cases recently where it’s been fatal when some people are using ketamine, but it can also cause irreparable damage to the bladder and kidneys.
Ketamine found in one of the 35 sacks
“A lot of people are using ketamine and living in the moment without any sort of recognition of how much pain it can cause and the impact it can have on your body. It can sometimes be irreparable.
“We have seen with our partners in the NHS reports of the significant rise in ketamine use, particularly within the younger members of our community, between 16 and 24 years of age.
“So use has risen dramatically and I’m just glad to be able to report that 875kg of ketamine has been taken off the streets and will never make it into circulation in our communities.”
35 sacks of ketamine were recovered in a £17m haul
The ECHO has covered the detrimental effects of the class B substance in recent months, with children as young as 12 using the drug.
Border officials reported record seizures last year, standing at 2,046 compared to 1,337 in 2023. Liverpool is the UK’s ketamine hotspot for seizures of the drug, with busts on Merseyside more than five times the national average.
Users say it makes them feel detached, dreamlike and invincible. However, it can cause nausea and hallucinations – and chronic use can lead to bladder problems – known as ‘ket bladder’ – which can be so severe that the organ has to be removed.