Liverpool man jailed after £17m ketamine haul found hidden in van
Drugs were stashed inside kitchen worktops in one of the UK’s biggest seizures
Last updated 23rd Oct 2025
A man from Liverpool has been jailed after police found ketamine worth £17 million hidden inside his van.
Paul Farrelly, 46, was stopped by officers on 16th September while driving a VW Crafter along the East Lancashire Road.
When they spoke to him, he appeared visibly nervous. Inside the van, officers discovered 22 large industrial sacks and a stack of kitchen worktops. Inside the sacks was a white powder, later confirmed by forensic testing to be ketamine.
Farrelly was arrested on the spot and taken into custody to be interviewed by the Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership – a joint unit made up of Merseyside Police and the National Crime Agency.
Further checks on the van revealed the kitchen worktops had been hollowed out, concealing an additional 13 sacks of the drug.
In total, 875kg of ketamine was recovered – one of the largest single seizures of its kind ever made in the UK.
Farrelly, of Redbank Close in Fazakerley, was charged with possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today (23rd October) to five years and four months behind bars.
Drug use warning
Ketamine is used legally in veterinary medicine and in controlled human medical treatments, but when misused, it can cause permanent damage, including severe bladder issues that require lifelong treatment.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts of the Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership said: “When officers pulled over Farrelly’s van, they made one of the largest seizures of ketamine ever in the UK. Thanks to the Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership, Farrelly’s drugs will never make it into the hands of vulnerable users.
“Many young drug abusers consider ketamine to be a cheap party drug but they’re paying a high price in terms of the sometimes life-long mental and physical damage the drug causes.
“Money-hungry organised criminals who exploit the demand for ketamine don’t care about the harm their drugs inflict, but Farrelly is now facing the consequences of his actions.
“We’re determined to keep ketamine off our streets and away from vulnerable people.”
Senior Crown Prosecutor Andrew Blennerhassett from CPS Mersey-Cheshire said: “This is a huge haul of a drug that has become increasingly popular in recent years.
“Its legal use is as an anaesthetic for animals and it is used by vets. Its use in humans can lead to dependency, serious mental and physical health issues.
“The world of illegal drugs is a dangerous one. Farrelly was heavily involved, although whether he was part of a wider chain of drug dealing is unclear.
“The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank the Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership – a joint National Crime Agency and Merseyside Police team, who led the investigation in this case.
“Their work to disrupt and disable the world of drug dealers, along with the Crown Prosecution Service, is crucial in keeping our communities safe.”
The Merseyside Police Matrix Disruption Team, which targets organised crime across the region, assisted in stopping the vehicle.