Pharmacist Removed from GPhC Register for Supplying Zolpidem Without a Licence and Exporting to Black Market

Date of Decision: June 7, 2022

Registrant's Role: Pharmacist

Allegations:

• The pharmacist was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court on 12 December 2019 for:
• Possessing a medicinal product for the purpose of wholesale distribution without a licence, contrary to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
• Supplying a Class C controlled drug (Zolpidem) to another without authorization, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
• The pharmacist, along with a business partner, exported over 20,000 packets of Zolpidem (500,000 tablets) to Trinidad without a Home Office Controlled Drugs Licence (HOCDL).
• The shipments were deliberately mislabelled as “medical products” to avoid detection.
• The pharmacist received payments into a personal bank account and attempted to mislead the MHRA during their investigation.
• The MHRA investigation uncovered fraudulent invoicing and destruction of records to cover up the illegal supply.

Outcome: Removal from the GPhC register

GPhC Standards Breached:

• Standard 1 – Provide Person-Centered Care
• Standard 2 – Work in Partnership with Others
• Standard 3 – Communicate Effectively
• Standard 5 – Use Professional Judgment
• Standard 6 – Behave in a Professional Manner
• Standard 9 – Demonstrate Leadership

Case Summary

Original Case Document