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Pharmacists who sold drugs illegally suspended | Pharmacists who sold drugs illegally suspended |
(about 2 hours later) | |
By Guy Lynn BBC News, London | By Guy Lynn BBC News, London |
Three pharmacists caught illegally selling addictive drugs to undercover reporters have been suspended with immediate effect. | Three pharmacists caught illegally selling addictive drugs to undercover reporters have been suspended with immediate effect. |
A BBC London investigation found nine west London pharmacies sold drugs including Valium, Viagra, temazepam and morphine without prescription. | A BBC London investigation found nine west London pharmacies sold drugs including Valium, Viagra, temazepam and morphine without prescription. |
As a result three of them have received 18 month suspension orders following a General Pharmaceutical Council hearing. | As a result three of them have received 18 month suspension orders following a General Pharmaceutical Council hearing. |
A Metropolitan Police investigation into all nine is still on-going. | A Metropolitan Police investigation into all nine is still on-going. |
The three pharmacists suspended are Chawan Shaida of Bin Seena Pharmacy, Hussain Jamal Rasool of Al Farabi Pharmacy - both in Paddington - and Murtaza Gulamhusein from Curie Pharmacy in Maida Vale. | The three pharmacists suspended are Chawan Shaida of Bin Seena Pharmacy, Hussain Jamal Rasool of Al Farabi Pharmacy - both in Paddington - and Murtaza Gulamhusein from Curie Pharmacy in Maida Vale. |
Selling drugs without prescription has a maximum penalty of two years in jail. | Selling drugs without prescription has a maximum penalty of two years in jail. |
'Matter of urgency' | 'Matter of urgency' |
An inspector at the Met's Drugs Directorate told the BBC last month: "It looks like you have evidence of criminality and obviously we need to look at that very closely. | An inspector at the Met's Drugs Directorate told the BBC last month: "It looks like you have evidence of criminality and obviously we need to look at that very closely. |
"We would want to look at that as a matter of urgency." | "We would want to look at that as a matter of urgency." |
Meanwhile a third investigation is being launched jointly by Westminster Council and Inner North West London Primary Care Trust. | Meanwhile a third investigation is being launched jointly by Westminster Council and Inner North West London Primary Care Trust. |
Westminster Council has said it was suspending its contract with Curie Pharmacy. | |
The General Pharmaceutical Council had said before the BBC London investigation, it had only taken one pharmacist in England to a fitness to practise hearing for selling drugs without a prescription in 2012. | The General Pharmaceutical Council had said before the BBC London investigation, it had only taken one pharmacist in England to a fitness to practise hearing for selling drugs without a prescription in 2012. |
Several London pharmacies sold the reporters from the BBC London's Inside Out programme diazepam or its trade name drug Valium - a strong and addictive sedative in the benzodiazepine family - for up to £85. | |
Over a few weeks, researchers bought 288 Valium tablets, 21 temazepam tablets, 294 amoxicillin tablets, 24 Viagra tablets and one bottle of Oramorph without prescriptions. | Over a few weeks, researchers bought 288 Valium tablets, 21 temazepam tablets, 294 amoxicillin tablets, 24 Viagra tablets and one bottle of Oramorph without prescriptions. |
And for £200, Al Farabi Pharmacy in Paddington dispensed a bottle of Oramorph - containing morphine. | And for £200, Al Farabi Pharmacy in Paddington dispensed a bottle of Oramorph - containing morphine. |
A standard NHS prescription would cost about £7.65. | A standard NHS prescription would cost about £7.65. |
The BBC was acting on specific intelligence about the pharmacies. | The BBC was acting on specific intelligence about the pharmacies. |
Latest figures show 293 people died in the UK in 2011 from misuse of benzodiazepines, more than double the 125 killed by cocaine and ecstasy combined. | Latest figures show 293 people died in the UK in 2011 from misuse of benzodiazepines, more than double the 125 killed by cocaine and ecstasy combined. |
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