SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT last Thursday (16) sentenced two pharmacists to two years imprisonment each, suspended for 24 months, after they were found guilty of selling ‘industrial’ quantities of Class C controlled drugs.
Mandip Sidhu (47) of Littleover, Derby and Nabeil Nasr (42) of Cheadle, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing following an investigation by the criminal enforcement unit of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
Both Sidhu and Nasr were pharmacists registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council at the time of the offenses, which took place between May 2013 and June 2017.
Sidhu was the director of Pharmaceutical Health Limited (PHL) in Derby, while Nasr owned several pharmacies across the north west of England.
Sidhu was sentenced to two years imprisonment on each of five counts of supplying Class C drugs and four months for forgery, all to run concurrently and suspended for 24 months. Additionally, she must complete 200 hours of community service for her role in the illegal supply of diazepam, zolpidem, and zopiclone.
Nasr was given a two-year prison sentence for each of two counts of supplying Class C drugs, diazepam and zopiclone, and one year for each of two counts of wholesale dealing without a wholesale licence.
He has also been suspended for 24 months on the condition that he completes 200 hours of community service.
They unlawfully supplied over 55 million doses of Class C controlled drugs, with more than 47 million of those doses being diazepam.
Andy Morling, MHRA deputy director (Criminal Enforcement), stated that the sentencing followed a thorough and complex investigation conducted by their criminal enforcement unit.
Sidhu also pleaded guilty to a forgery charge, admitting she made a false invoice to mislead an MHRA inspector into believing the medicines had been sold to a company outside the European Economic Area.
The court heard that PHL, the company where Sidhu was a director, purchased 4.27 million tablets in August 2014 and 4.5 million tablets in March 2015, despite not having legally dispensed any medicines against a prescription since July 19, 2013.
To legally trade in these medicines, pharmacists or wholesale business owners are required to possess a Home Office Controlled Drug Licence (HOCDL).
Additionally, the licence must be endorsed by the MHRA before it can be used to buy or sell drugs in high quantities. Despite holding various licences for their work as pharmacists, neither Sidhu nor Nasr held an HOCDL, according to MHRA.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)