Drug dealer with sophisticated central London commercial enterprise jailed after Met investigation

A man living in Westminster has been jailed for multiple drug offences following a dedicated investigation by Met detectives who acted on concerns from local residents.

This investigation comes as part of the Met’s determination to tackle issues that matter most to London’s communities, including drug dealing and associated anti-social behaviour and violence.

Grant Lock, 44 (06.11.1980), of Villiers Street, Charing Cross, pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday, 26 June to 15 drug dealing related offences, including possession with intent to supply ketamine, MDMA, cocaine and GBL. In court, Lock was described by the judge as overseeing a ‘sophisticated commercial enterprise’. Lock was sentenced at the same court on Friday, 15 November to seven and a half years in prison.

Lock was first arrested after concerns were raised around drug dealing in the Charing Cross area. Local neighbourhood officers worked together with specialist officers to uncover the key drug dealing hubs. Officers arrested Lock at his home in Villiers Street, where large quantities of drugs were found. In this first instance, Lock tried to claim that the GBL found, amongst numerous other drugs, was a cleaning product – rather than a drug commonly used for spiking drinks and in the chemsex scene.

Lock was arrested a second time after officers were told of residents’ concerns that drugs were being sold from a second flat in Newburgh Street, Soho in May 2020. Officers discovered that Lock was at the property and forced their way in after he refused them entry. Once inside, they then arrested Lock for possession with intent to supply after more drugs were found. Across both arrests, officers seized a bounty of drugs including 18 grams of cocaine, 235 doses of LSD, 296 MDMA pills, 241 packets of methylamphetamine, 36 packets of ketamine and 11 litres of GBL.

Detective Contable Nigel Pacquette, who led the investigation, said:

“Lock was a prolific drug dealer who had no regard of the law. He was found to be dealing a wide range of drugs, and even had notebooks full of records of who he had sold to and whether they had paid.

“Today’s result was only possible thanks to the close cooperation between local communities and the police. When people tell us they are concerned, we will act - combining specialist intelligence gathering techniques, with community policing to get results that will benefit the community.”

"The drugs trade is blight on Londoners, bringing crime and violence to its neighbourhoods and ruining lives. As part of its New Met for London strategy, the Met will continue to tackle crimes that matter most to communities and deliver on their behalf."