Former Barrow AFC Defender Jailed for Drug Deals Worth Nearly Half a Million Pounds

A former Barrow AFC defender, Francis Ventre, has been jailed for nine years after being convicted of his part in supplying cocaine and ketamine in deals worth nearly £480,000. The sentence was handed down at Liverpool Crown Court following his guilty pleas to conspiracy to supply both Class A and Class B drugs and conspiracy to convert criminal property.
Ventre, 63, of West Derby in Liverpool, became the focus of a National Crime Agency investigation after encrypted messages from his EncroChat device were decrypted. Officers discovered that Ventre used the alias Dillforest to carry out drug transactions between April and June 2020. The encrypted communications revealed that he was involved in organising and directing the supply of around one kilogram of cocaine and 63 kilograms of ketamine, with respective street values of approximately £38,500 and £441,000.
Investigators from the Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership identified Ventre through a combination of clues within his encrypted messages, including personal information and the use of the word “barrow” in his phone password, which helped link his online identity to his real‑world identity. He was subsequently arrested at his home on November 25, 2025, and charged with multiple drug offences.
During the trial, Ventre admitted his involvement in the illegal drug supply network and the conversion of criminal property. Judges imposed a nine‑year prison sentence, reflecting the scale and seriousness of the criminal activity.
Officials said the case highlights the effectiveness of international law enforcement collaboration and the significant impact that encrypted communications investigations can have on dismantling serious organised crime networks.