Three men of Indian origin have been sentenced to a total of over 22 years following a police investigation into a “sophisticated” organised crime network operating in west London that was allegedly involved in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
One of the accused, Purshotam Dhillon, 59, who was serving as a magistrate at the time of his arrest, was handed a seven-year custodial sentence at Croydon Crown Court in south London on Thursday. He used his position to facilitate the illegal operation, news agency PTI reported.
The other two accused, Hardeep Thind, 48, also known as Harry Singh, and Bikramjit Brar, 46, were sentenced to a term of 12 years and six months and three years and four months, respectively.
“This was a complex and far-reaching investigation that uncovered a well-established organised crime network responsible for supplying significant quantities of Class A (banned) drugs across London,” said Detective Inspector (DI) Mark Gavin, from the Met’s Specialist Crime unit, according to PTI.
“The team’s extensive work enabled us to identify, disrupt and dismantle a group whose actions would have been causing serious harm to communities.
Dhillon allowed a van containing substantial quantities of heroin to be parked outside his house and allowed drugs to be weighed out and packaged inside.
“As a serving magistrate, Dhillon abused a position of trust in the most serious way. This case demonstrates that no-one is above the law, and those who engage in criminality will be held accountable,” he added.
Detectives pieced together call data records, forensic evidence and phone downloads to identify a group responsible for the wholesale supply of heroin and crack cocaine across London between October 2024 and July 2025. The network operated multiple drug lines and distributed drugs worth over 100,000 pounds, the police found.
On further investigation by detectives, who pieced together call data records, forensic evidence and phone downloads to identify a group responsible for the supply of heroin and crack across London, police found that the network operated multiple drug lines and distributed drugs worth over 100,000 pounds, as per PTI.
“County lines are far more than drug dealing – they exploit the vulnerable and fuel violence. We remain committed to relentlessly pursuing those responsible,” added DI Gavin.
What investigation revealed
Thind, also known as Harry Singh, turned out to be the key accused in the investigation that began in January 2024 after Met police decided to focus on tackling London’s highly-active drugs line known as “Hadi”.
He was serving 17 years in an open prison for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, as well as possession of a prohibited automatic weapon namely Skorpion submachine gun at the time, according to PTI.
Singh had access to a mobile phone, which he used to continue to direct and coordinate the drugs network. Thind expanded the operation and recruited several dealers in the Hayes and Southall area of west London following his release in October 2024.
“The investigation identified distinct roles within the network with Thind acting as the leader – coordinating supply and directing others; Purshotam Dhillon – a self-confessed drug addict – was found to store drugs, cash and equipment; Brar held and distributed drugs on behalf of the network while Lynch acted as a runner – facilitating supply and communications,” the Met Police said, according to PTI.
In July last year, police said it carried out searches at the addresses and vehicles of those involved in the operation.
“Officers carried out searches of their addresses and vehicles, resulting in significant quantities of heroin and crack cocaine being recovered, as well as drug packaging materials and digital scales, large amounts of cash, several mobile phones and ‘tick lists’ of drug transactions,” the Met Police said.
Singh and Brar pleaded guilty to two counts each of being involved in the supply of Class A drugs, including cocaine and heroin. Dhillon and Leandrea Lynch were found guilty of the same offences by a unanimous jury verdict in May following a trial at Croydon Crown Court.
Another one of their accomplice, 49-year-old Lynch, was handed a suspended sentence of two years and six months.
(With inputs from PTI)
