Former magistrate jailed as drug network exposed in major Met investigation

A Met Police investigation into a sophisticated west London organised crime network has resulted in four key members – including a serving magistrate – being sentenced to a total of 25 years.

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 a hundred thousand pounds.

The following defendants were sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Thursday, 25 June:

• Purshotam Dhillon, 59 (01.02.1967), of Lampton Avenue, Hounslow was given seven years' custodial
• Hardeep Thind, 48 (19.12.1977), also known as Harry Singh, of Wentworth Road, Southall was sentenced to 12 years and six months
• Bikramjit Brar, 46 (12.03.1979), of Nestles Avenue, Hayes was sentenced to three years and four months
• Leandrea Lynch, 49 (21.04.1977), of Dawley Road, Hayes was sentenced to two years and six months suspended for the same length of time

Detective Inspector Mark Gavin, from the Met’s Specialist Crime, said:

“This was a complex and far-reaching investigation that uncovered a well-established organised crime network responsible for supplying significant quantities of Class A drugs across London.

“The team’s extensive work enabled us to identify, disrupt and dismantle a group whose actions would have been causing serious harm to communities.

“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.

“County lines are far more than drug dealing – they exploit the vulnerable and fuel violence. We remain committed to relentlessly pursuing those responsible.”

Investigation background

The investigation began in January 2024 after the Met Police team dedicated to tackling London drugs lines identified a highly active drugs line known as “Hadi”, responsible for distributing heroin and crack cocaine to a large customer base across west London.

Detectives analysed phone data which revealed extensive communication between members of a wider network, with Hardeep Thind, also known as Harry Singh, emerging as the central figure.

At the time, Thind was serving a 17-year sentence in prison for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, as well as possession of a prohibited automatic weapon, namely a Skorpion submachine gun.

Despite being in custody, Thind – who was being held in an open prison and had access to a mobile phone – continued to direct and coordinate the drugs network with the use of a burner phone.

Following his release in October 2024, Thind resumed his criminal activity – expanding the operation and recruiting several dealers in the Hayes and Southall area – and it wasn’t long before he came to police attention again. Evidence showed he maintained contact with all key members and coordinated activity across multiple drug lines.

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.

Other members of the network were arrested and convicted earlier in the investigation, demonstrating the scale and structure of the operation.

Key evidence

The investigation was built through detailed analysis of call data records, surveillance, forensic evidence and phone downloads.

All members were found to have made frequent phone calls to each other, with Thind consistently identified as the central point of contact. Location data indicated members were regularly in the same place.

Forensic evidence linked Thind directly to significant quantities of heroin recovered from one of the cars he controlled, and the same rare drugs cutting tool was found during the many police seizures.

Phone downloads revealed further evidence of drug supply activity, including voice notes in which Thind discussed controlling drug lines and in which he was referred to as “the plug” – a term used for high-level suppliers.

Enforcement activity

On Tuesday, 1 July 2025, officers carried out coordinated enforcement across west London, executing multiple warrants and arresting the four defendants at their homes.

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 drugs transactions.

Dhillon, who was a serving magistrate at the time of his arrest, was found to have allowed his position to be used to facilitate the operation, giving Thind’s activities an air of respectability.

Officers discovered Dhillon had allowed a van linked to Thind – and which contained substantial quantities of heroin – to be parked outside his house – and allowed drugs to be weighed out and packaged inside.

The street value of drugs seized throughout the whole operation was around £174,000.

Criminal proceedings

On Thursday, 3 July 2025, all four defendants were charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, with further offences including possession with intent to supply and possession of an offensive weapon.

Singh and Brar pleaded guilty to two counts each of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, namely cocaine and heroin, while Dhillon and Lynch were convicted of the same offences by unanimous verdicts on Friday, 8 May following a trial at Croydon Crown Court. Thind's sentence also included dangerous driving.

Two other men who pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs were sentenced at Croydon Crown Court in July 2025.

The Met Police continues to prioritise tackling organised drug supply networks, which drive violence, exploitation and wider criminality.

Operations such as this aim not only to secure convictions but to dismantle entire networks, removing drugs from the streets and protecting vulnerable communities.

Last year, officers disrupted serious and organised crime groups over 21,231 times – an increase of 63 per cent compared to 2024.