Drug trafficker who fled to Spain jailed for more than seven years after GMP pursuit

A Salford man who went on the run for over two years to avoid prosecution has been jailed for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, following an investigation involving encrypted messages and international cooperation.

Sean Farrell, 52, of Moorfield Road, Salford, has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison after being found guilty of multiple drug offences, including conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis, conspiracy to import cannabis, and money laundering.

Farrell, operating under the alias ‘VanillaJerky’ on the Encrochat encrypted messaging platform, was identified as a key figure in a wider criminal network uncovered by Operation Venetic – a National Crime Agency-led operation that dismantled encrypted phone services used by organised crime groups.

Between March and June 2020, Farrell used the Encrochat system to negotiate high-value drug deals, including the supply of cocaine at up to £39,500 per kilogram, with profits of around £3,000 per transaction. He also arranged cannabis imports from the United States, purchasing for around $1,200 per pound and selling for $3,000. Encrypted communications also detailed cash collections, including one for £5,500.

When officers moved to arrest Farrell in January 2022, he had fled the country, relocating to Spain in a bid to evade capture. He remained at large for over two years before his luck ran out.

On Monday 2 September 2024, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) stopped a Mercedes C-Class with Spanish number plates on Stretford Road in Old Trafford. The passenger gave false details, but identity checks confirmed he was Sean Farrell. He was arrested at the scene.

Farrell was subsequently charged and later sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday 27 November 2025.

Detective Constable Sajid Sardar from GMP’s City of Manchester Challenger Team said: “Farrell believed he could escape justice by fleeing overseas, but our officers worked tirelessly to track him down.

“This was a complex investigation which involved cracking encrypted communications, gaining international cooperation from Spanish authorities, and years of persistence.

“His jail term sends a clear message: organised crime will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester. We will pursue offenders no matter where they hide, and no matter how long they have been hiding for.”