A man has been sentenced to 11 years in jail for importing over 500 litres of a Class B drug.
Afshin Alikhani, 43, was found to be distributing ‘industrial’ quantities of Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL), a drug related to Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid or GHB, a court heard.
A search of his home on Abbey Road, NW6 uncovered £30,000 in cash, suspected to be from transactions with buyers and traces of crystal meth.
Phone messages showed Alikhani offering and delivering the illegal substances to buyers.
Alikhani was arrested in 2020 after an in-depth surveillance operation which investigated his suspected illegal sale of GBL.
The substance was upgraded from a Class C to a Class B drug in 2022, to reflect its role in being used to facilitate crimes, including murder, rape, sexual assault and robbery.
Sometimes known as ‘liquid ecstasy’, GBL is used recreationally to enhance sexual activity, particularly within the LGBT+ community, but has also been used as a weapon by rapists.
Despite being used industrially in stain removers and pain strippers, the sale of GBL for oral consumption is banned in the UK.
He denied involvement in the offences and told Harrow Crown Court in July 2023 that the drugs were imported for a legitimate cleaning company, and that the messages found on his phone were sent by a friend.
A jury unanimously found Alikhani guilty on all charges of importation of Class C drugs on August 6 2023. His sentencing was adjourned until this month while the category of harm of GBL was determined.
On February 16, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison at the Old Bailey.
The police investigation was led by Detective Sergeant Isabella Grotto. She said: ‘Alikhani’s conviction is a signal to others that the supply of this drug is taken extremely seriously, and we will pursue those who distribute GBL to Londoners.
‘We worked long and hard with multiple different teams and gathered expert advice from specialists to ensure we could prove the seriousness of the importation of this drug and its detrimental impact on victims.
‘I am proud of everyone who worked on this case and I am confident that we will continue to see more cases like this, with longer sentences as the dangers of GBL are recognised.”