Three individuals have received a combined prison sentence of 24 years for their participation in a counterfeit pill manufacturing and distribution operation valued at £2 million. This information comes from a press release issued by the Metropolitan Police.
The convicted individuals include Allen Valentine, aged 62, his son Roshan Valentine, aged 39, and Roshan’s childhood friend, Krunal Patel, aged 40. They ran multiple vendor accounts on various dark web marketplaces, primarily dealing in counterfeit Xanax and Valium pills.
The investigation into this trio commenced in January 2022 after receiving a tip-off about their drug trafficking activities from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the trio operated from a warehouse and attempted to conceal their activities by posing as a logistics company. Each day, they reported to the warehouse and manufactured the counterfeit pills, packaging them as per customer orders. Investigators noted Patel’s role in mailing the drug packages, as he was observed leaving the warehouse with large bags and returning without them on several occasions.
On August 17, 2022, Patel was arrested outside the warehouse and found in possession of 15 drug packages addressed to various locations across the UK. These packages contained counterfeit Xanax and Teva pills. Subsequently, the father and son, Allen and Roshan Valentine, were arrested later that day.
A search of the warehouse led to the discovery of a fully equipped pill production laboratory. Additionally, law enforcement seized significant quantities of undisclosed chemical substances and pressed pills.
Patel and Roshan Valentine pleaded guilty to multiple drug trafficking offenses on February 10, 2023. Allen Valentine, however, pleaded not guilty but was ultimately found guilty on May 9 after a trial at Isleworth Crown Court.
The sentencing of these individuals occurred during a hearing at Isleworth Crown Court on September 7. Patel received a six-year prison term, Roshan Valentine was sentenced to seven years, and Allen Valentine received an 11-year prison sentence.
