A pharmacist who helped criminals sell more than £1million illegal drugs on the black market has been kicked out of the profession.
Balkeet Sing Khaira used his connections in chemists to purchase large quantities prescription pills to sell to drug dealers.
While working in his mother’s company, the 38-year old ordered 29,000 boxes of Diazepam and Nitrazepam as well as Tramadol, Tramadol and Zolpidem while he was still at work.
Khaira from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands was convicted of five counts of supply controlled drug at Birmingham Crown Court. He was sentenced for 12 months imprisonment.
A General Pharmaceutical Council fitness-to-practice committee has now ruled that he should be removed as a pharmacist.
Balkeet Singh Khhaira (38), used his connections in chemistry to purchase large amounts of prescription pills, and then sold them to dealers.
Khaira, who claimed to be his mom in email correspondences to the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was evidence presented to the committee. This attempt to discredit investigators led to Khaira being identified as the mother.
When questioned by police, he confessed to his crime and said that he had been compelled to do so because of the work of another employee.
These offences were committed between February 2016 – August 2017, at West Bromwich’s Khaira Pharmacy.
In addition to hearing evidence from court cases, Judge Heidi Kubik stated in her sentencing remarks that these were serious offenses.
‘You allowed five different types of addictive Class C drugs to be diverted onto the black market in significant quantities, some 29,000 packs deemed so diverted with a potential street value of £1,052,000.
“Your mother ran the pharmacy for many years. Your actions led to her being arrested. Her business as well as her reputation were damaged by her actions.”
Khaira started his criminal career while working at his mother’s pharmacy. In an attempt to deter investigators, he impersonated his mother in emails.
“When investigations began in June 2017 you answered, pretending to your mother via email, in order to get the investigation to cease.
The committee heard Mr Khaira’s personal benefit from supplying the drugs was ‘almost £60,000’.
According to police, he claimed that he had been forced by an employee of the pharmacy to purchase excessive quantities of Class C drugs. This employee worked for a criminal gang.
The Crown Court heard Mr Khaira’s plea. He said that he first met the man at his gym and became close friends. Khaira Pharmacy hired the man to start working in 2016.
After the incident, Mr Khaira was asked by an employee if he wanted a set of sleeping pills. He initially refused, but then he gave the employee one box.
He said Mr Khaira was later approached by three men, who threatened him with physical violence and his immediate family. Due to “ongoing threats, pressure”, he agreed to allow the pharmacy to provide the drug.
David Bleiman (chair of the fitness-to-practice committee) stated that ‘Medicals are controlled to protect public health and safety. Once illegally distributed to someone, there is a risk that people could abuse these drugs without being consulted by a doctor or having a real clinical need.
«[Mr Khaira’s]The profession was brought to disrepute by illegal behavior. It was not an insignificant conviction, even though it involved a non-related matter to the profession. The blatant misuse of the position of pharmacist in order to divert large quantities of controlled drugs put the public at serious risk.
«[Mr Khaira’s]A conviction can lead to serious breaches of trust. When [he]Under duress, supplied illegal drugs. [his profession]He was required to inform the police about his concern rather than complying with duress to gain financial advantages.
The committee removed the name of Mr Khaira.