Man, 61, admits intent to supply thousands of litres of drug linked to spiking

The Met police has said a man has admitted to intent to supply GBL (Kirsty O’Connor/PA) - (PA Wire)

A 61-year-old man has admitted intent to supply more than 2,000 litres of GBL, a drug linked to spiking and the chemsex scene, the Metropolitan police have said.

Following joint police investigations, it was found that large quantities of GBL was being transported from Manchester to London, alongside the supply of crystal meth in the opposite direction.

Officers arrested Ahoor Ramabark Fathi last month and searched a storage container rented by him which contained 2,256 litres of gamma butyrolactone (GBL), in 188 boxes containing one litre bottles.

At one of three addresses linked to Fathi they also found a firearm, ammunition, £100,000 in cash and 456g of crystal meth, police stated.

Fathi, of Willowbrook Road, Southall, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs, possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of criminal property at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday.

Following his arrest, officers searched a storage container rented by Fathi and found 2256 litres of GBL in one litre bottles.

The Met’s specialised crime unit used cell data to locate the three addresses linked to Fathi, two in Ealing and one in Southall.

Fathi is due to be sentence at Isleworth Crown Court in July (Anthony Devlin/PA) (PA Archive)

GHB is an odourless, oily liquid, usually sold in small bottles or capsules. According to the NHS’s sexual health website, it converts to GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) inside the body. The effects can last up to four hours and its properties can leave a person incoherent or comatose.

Lead investigator, Detective Inspector Mark Gavin, said: “Controlled drugs continue to have a devastating impact on communities across London, driving harm, exploitation and wider criminality.

“This is one of the largest discoveries of GBL in London and we are pleased that we have halted its distribution throughout the city.

“The misuse of GBL and crystal meth tend to be linked to serious offences. We know that drug-related offences often pose a barrier for victims, resulting in the crimes going underreported.

“It is our duty as officers to ensure the safety of Londoners and urge victim survivors to come forward. We will continue to work hard to disrupt and root out organised crime groups that supply harmful drugs to our communities.”

According to the NHS, the difference between a high and an overdose, where the drug causes unresponsiveness and unconsciousness, on GBL can be less than one millilitre.

The Met say they understand the “sensitivities and concerns” around recreational drug-taking in the chemsex scene and are working with charities to approach these issues carefully.

Fathi will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on July 23.