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Dudley pharmacist jailed over £280,000 black market drugs selling | Dudley pharmacist jailed over £280,000 black market drugs selling |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A pharmacist illegally supplied thousands of prescription tablets with a street value of £280,000 to the black market, a court heard. | A pharmacist illegally supplied thousands of prescription tablets with a street value of £280,000 to the black market, a court heard. |
Jaspar Ojela, 56, from West Bromwich, bought painkillers and tranquilisers from drug wholesalers and sold them in 2016. | |
Ojela admitted supplying drugs and was jailed for two years and four months at Wolverhampton Crown Court. | Ojela admitted supplying drugs and was jailed for two years and four months at Wolverhampton Crown Court. |
A judge said it was a "serious breach of duty." | A judge said it was a "serious breach of duty." |
Prosecutors said Ojela purchased the drugs on behalf of two pharmacists in "such large qualities he knew what he was doing was wrong." | Prosecutors said Ojela purchased the drugs on behalf of two pharmacists in "such large qualities he knew what he was doing was wrong." |
He did not have a Home Office controlled drug licence or a wholesale distribution licence and should only have prescribed drugs through a lawful prescription, prosecutor Jonathan Barker said. | He did not have a Home Office controlled drug licence or a wholesale distribution licence and should only have prescribed drugs through a lawful prescription, prosecutor Jonathan Barker said. |
The hearing was told 40,000 Class B tablets and 173,000 tablets of Class C, including pain relief Tramadol and sleeping aid Zolpidem, were bought for £5,600. It had a street value of £280,000. | The hearing was told 40,000 Class B tablets and 173,000 tablets of Class C, including pain relief Tramadol and sleeping aid Zolpidem, were bought for £5,600. It had a street value of £280,000. |
James Bruce, defending, said Ojela made just under £2,000 profit from the enterprise, between February and September 2016. | James Bruce, defending, said Ojela made just under £2,000 profit from the enterprise, between February and September 2016. |
"He was at a low ebb. The pharmacies approached him in that low ebb and he agreed to provide them, and he shouldn't have," he said. | |
Ojela was the owner of Kates Hill Pharmacy in Dudley until it closed in June 2017. | Ojela was the owner of Kates Hill Pharmacy in Dudley until it closed in June 2017. |
In November 2019, he admitted supplying Class B and Class C drugs, as well as selling and supplying prescription only medication not in accordance with prescription given by an appropriate practitioner. | In November 2019, he admitted supplying Class B and Class C drugs, as well as selling and supplying prescription only medication not in accordance with prescription given by an appropriate practitioner. |
'Dangerous effect' | 'Dangerous effect' |
Judge Dean Kershaw said the dangerous effect of these drugs going on the black market is obvious. | Judge Dean Kershaw said the dangerous effect of these drugs going on the black market is obvious. |
Speaking after the case, Mark Jackson from the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said: "Those who sell medicines illegally are exploiting vulnerable people and have no regard for their health." | Speaking after the case, Mark Jackson from the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said: "Those who sell medicines illegally are exploiting vulnerable people and have no regard for their health." |
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