Banned designer drugs discovered at head shops

Simon Tomlin and Paris Newton appeared at Exeter Crown Court to face charges of possession of illegal drugs. The two businessmen, who were known for selling legal highs from their chain of shops in the South West, were caught in 2011 in possession of banned designer party drugs.

Tomlin and Newton own head shops. Head shops stock legal highs, smoking supplies, clothing and other items of interest to drug users.

Police raided their Hush head shops in Exeter and Exmouth and also the Mushroom head shop in Torquay. In total they seized £100,000-worth of illegal drugs.

The illegal drugs included nearly six kilos of a designer drug that is composed of a mixture of BZP (benzopiperazine) and TFMPP (triflouromethypiperazine). They also found 126 tablets containing the same drugs. Both BZP and TFMPP have caused deaths.

The shops were branding the drugs with the names Benzo-Fury or Sidewinder. The same drug was more commonly called Rapture and was a very popular rave drug until it was banned in December 2009. The court was told that Tomlin and Newton may have bought the drugs without first checking exactly what they were.

Both Tomlin and Newton admitted possession of BZP and TFMPP with intent to supply. Newton also admitted to possessing cannabis and a mixture of BZP and TFMP at his home.

Both Tomlin and Newton pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs, but on the grounds that they had taken possession of them without first having the opportunity to test them.

They are due to be sentenced but have already agreed to repay £50,000 as proceeds of crime and a further £7,000 in court costs.

Mr Jonathan Barnes, prosecuting, said: “The selling [of] so-called legal highs has become a very big business and these defendants were and are successful players”.