London Drugs Network Led by Convicted Dealer from Prison Dismantled

A London drugs network led by a convicted dealer operating from prison has been dismantled, with three Indian-origin men, including Bikramjit Brar, Harry Singh and serving magistrate Purshotam Dhillon, jailed for their roles in the operation. The gang supplied cocaine and heroin worth £174,000 through multiple drug lines across West London. The network was headed by Hardeep Thind, 48, also known as Harry Singh, who continued directing the operation from prison. He expanded it after his release, reports MyLondon. The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation in January 2024 after identifying Thind as the central figure behind a highly active drug line known as "Hadi". At the time, he was serving a 17-year prison sentence for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and possessing a prohibited automatic weapon, a Skorpion submachine gun. While being held in an open prison, Thind gained access to a mobile phone and used a burner handset to control the drugs network. After his release in October 2024, he resumed his criminal activity, expanded the operation and recruited dealers in Hayes and Southall. He had remained in regular contact with all key members and coordinated activity across several drug lines. Police also uncovered the role of Purshotam Dhillon, 59, a serving magistrate who admitted to being a drug addict. Dhillon had allowed a van carrying heroin to be parked outside his home on Lampton Avenue in Hounslow and permitted drugs to be weighed and packaged inside the property. Bikramjit Brar, 46, of Nestles Avenue, Hayes, was responsible for storing and distributing the drugs, while Leandrea Lynch, 49, of Dawley Road, Hayes, acted as a runner, helping with supplies and communications. Investigators linked Thind directly to large quantities of heroin recovered from one of the vehicles under his control through forensic evidence. Officers also recovered the same rare drug-cutting tool during several police seizures. On 1 July 2025, officers carried out a series of warrants across West London. They seized large quantities of heroin and crack cocaine, large sums of cash, several mobile phones and handwritten "tick lists" recording drug transactions. Phone downloads provided further evidence of the conspiracy, including voice notes in which Thind discussed controlling drug lines. In the recordings, he was referred to as "the plug", a term commonly used for a high-level drug supplier. Police said there was active contact between all four defendants through phone records. Location data also showed they regularly met at the same places. On 3 July 2025, all four were charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. Additional charges included possession with intent to supply and possession of an offensive weapon. Thind and Brar pleaded guilty to two counts each of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, namely cocaine and heroin. Dhillon and Lynch were later convicted of the same offences by a unanimous jury at Croydon Crown Court on May 8. At sentencing on June 25, 2026, Thind received 12 years and six months in prison. Dhillon was jailed for seven years, while Brar was sentenced to three years and four months. Lynch received a two-year and six-month prison sentence, suspended for the same period.