Two men from Barrow jailed for drug supply offences following police investigation

Two men from Barrow have been sentenced for their involvement in a drug supply network following investigations led by the Westmorland and Furness Community and Serious Organised Crime (CSOC) Unit.

The investigation, named Operation Filler, began in September 2022 in response to intelligence concerning cocaine distribution in Barrow.

On 16th September 2022, officers executed a warrant at a flat on Longway in Barrow. Searches at the property resulted in the seizure of 1kg of cocaine split into 12 packages, alongside 1.5kg of cannabis. Fingerprints found on the packaging linked Paul Maggs and Ross Goodwin to the drugs.

Further seizures followed in November 2022 and July 2023 when searches in Barrow uncovered more drugs, cash, and evidence of packaging. Messages found on Ross Goodwin's phone showed that Maggs was directing customers to him for drug supplies.

Ross Goodwin, aged 30, was sentenced to seven years and six months in jail.

In May 2025, Paul Maggs, aged 31, was arrested at his home on Roose Road, Barrow, after a second investigation named Operation Nighthawk targeted his ongoing drug enterprise. Despite being on court bail for a separate county drug line operation called Operation Forfeit, Maggs continued to traffic drugs. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

Two other men have already been convicted in relation to the conspiracy.

A spokesperson for the Westmorland and Furness CSOC Unit said: "Paul Maggs ran a prolific drug supply business in Barrow over a number of years, trafficking kilogram quantities of cocaine and cannabis and significantly degrading the quality of life in our communities.

"The sentencing of this crime group should demonstrate we will bring all our investigative capability to bear against those who traffic drugs in Cumbria and their upstream suppliers."

The CSOC Unit is also pursuing asset recovery to reinvest the profits made from criminal activity into the community.