#SocialPharma Jailed for £4.3m Sale of Powder and Pills over the Dark Web

A gang of online pharmacists brought to justice for selling counterfeit drugs.

Four individuals have been sentenced to prison for operating an online pharmacy called SocialPharma, selling counterfeit drugs on the Dark Web and via Telegram, generating £4.3 million in Bitcoin since 2018.

#The Sentences

The group, led by 32-year-old Osvaldas Novikovas, also included:

• Osvaldas Novikovas, 32: 13 and a half years
• Jordanas Avizienius, 27: 10 and a half years
• Marius Sutrinavicius, 44: 8 years and 3 months
• Javed Afzal Khan, 55: 15 years

#The Investigation

The investigation, led by Detective Inspector Rob Bryant, revealed that the group sold various illicit substances, including:

• Heroin
• Methamphetamine
• Cocaine
• Ketamine

without prescriptions or medical consultations.

#The Risks

The police stated that the substances sold by the group were often of unknown composition and potency, posing significant risks to consumers. For example, heroin seized during the investigation was found to contain traces of fentanyl, a substance 50 times stronger than heroin.

#The Operations

The group's operations involved:

• Avizienius overseeing sales and managing Dark Web channels, and laundering £2.5 million through his bank account
• Sutrinavicius handling the packaging and shipping of the drugs
• Khan supplying the drugs to be sold online

#The Charges

All four individuals pleaded guilty to various charges related to the supply of counterfeit pharmaceuticals and illicit substances.

#The Verdict

"Buying drugs from dark net markets is inherently dangerous," said Detective Inspector Rob Bryant. "Customers have no idea what they are purchasing, and these products are sold without consultation with a GP, without prescription, and without any assurance of authenticity."