Largest Ever Seizure of Date Rape Drug Made in Ealing

Southall man pleads guilty to dealing and firearms charges

Ahoor Ramabark Fathi reacts to being told of his arrest. Picture: Met Police

A man from Southall has pleaded guilty after Metropolitan Police officers uncovered more than 2,000 litres of GBL – one of the largest seizures of the drug ever recorded in London – during an investigation into organised drug supply between the capital and the north west of England.

Ahoor Ramabark Fathi, 61, of Willowbrook Road, Southall, admitted multiple offences at Isleworth Crown Court, including possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs, possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of criminal property. He will be sentenced on 23 July.

The case began when Greater Manchester Police, investigating drug offences in their region, passed intelligence to the Met’s Specialist Crime Unit suggesting that large quantities of GBL were being transported from Manchester to London, while crystal meth was being supplied in the opposite direction. Detectives spent months analysing phone data, eventually linking Fathi to three addresses in Ealing and Southall believed to be used for storing drugs and cash.

Officers arrested Fathi on 18 March at one of the properties. A search of a storage container he rented revealed 188 boxes, each containing 12 one-litre bottles of GBL – a total of 2,256 litres. Further searches uncovered £100,000 in cash, 456 grams of crystal meth, ammunition and a firearm at an address in Ealing.

Detective Inspector Mark Gavin, who led the investigation, said the scale of the discovery underlined the harm caused by the drug trade in London. He described GBL and crystal meth as substances closely associated with serious offending, including spiking and crimes linked to the chemsex scene. He added that drug-related offences often go unreported because victims feel unable to come forward.

Gavin said the Met is committed to disrupting organised crime groups and urged anyone affected by drug-related harm to seek help. The force emphasised that it is working with charities, health specialists and community organisations to address the sensitivities surrounding recreational drug use, particularly within LGBT+ communities. As part of the Met’s “New Met for London: Phase Two” strategy, LGBT+ Community Liaison Officers have been introduced to help build trust and ensure people feel confident reporting crime.

GBL, which can cause memory loss, addiction and overdose, is widely known as a “date rape drug”. Its presence in chemsex environments has been a growing concern for police and health services.

Fathi’s conviction forms part of the Met’s wider effort to reduce the harm caused by drug supply and the organised criminal networks behind it.