Man sentenced to 11 years after importing 500 litres of chemsex drug GBL
“The conviction is a signal to others that the supply of this drug is taken extremely seriously"
A man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for drug offences related to GBL, an addictive substance commonly used on the chemsex scene.
Afshin Alikhani, 43, was initially arrested in 2020 after he was caught trying to import GBL, or Gamma-butyrolactone.
Alikhani, of Abbey Road, NW6, was sentenced in an unprecedented case at the Old Bailey on 16 February.
This is the first time the category of harm posed by GBL has been recognised in a court of law.
“GBL is highly addictive and can be fatal”
The senior investigating officer overseeing the case, Detective Inspector Louise Houtmeyers, said in a statement: “This is a first of its kind case for the Met. Alikhani was not only importing this dangerous drug, but was attempting to distribute a huge volume to victims across London – he intended to profit off an extremely harmful and illegal substance.
“GBL is highly addictive and can be fatal. There is an emerging trend of this drug being used more frequently, particularly by men who have sex with men, and during chemsex.
“This is often deemed a taboo subject, but this conviction is about raising awareness of the impact of GBL and its associated dangers, not criminalising or ostracising people who might be using it.
“We are determined to protect all London communities and believe the sentencing demonstrates the seriousness and potential harm 500 litres of GBL could have had.
“This case is particularly significant as it sets a precedent for future UK court cases for those who are intent on distributing this dangerous drug – they will face lengthy sentencing and we will pursue offenders.”
“A signal to others”
Detective Sergeant Isabella Grotto, who led the case, said: “Alikhani’s conviction is a signal to others that the supply of this drug is taken extremely seriously, and we will pursue those who distribute GBL to Londoners.
“We worked long and hard with multiple different teams and gathered expert advice from specialists to ensure we could prove the seriousness of the importation of this drug and its detrimental impact on victims.
“I am proud of everyone who worked on this case and I am confident that we will continue to see more cases like this, with longer sentences as the dangers of GBL are recognised.”
In an alert posted on the Metropolitan Police website today, a Met rep said: ‘[We understand] there are many sensitivities and concerns around recreational drug taking, particularly in the context of the chemsex scene.
‘We continue to work with culturally sensitive partners to ensure the public are educated around this subject, and the best people to offer advice are accessible to those who seek support.”