A Heathrow Airport employee, whose surname fittingly is Santa, has been found guilty of running an illegal prescription drug operation just days before the Christmas period.
The 'Aladdin's Cave' of Drugs
Rohan Santa, aged 37, was a key player in what prosecutors described as a 'commercial enterprise' trafficking prescription medications, including the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and painkiller Pregabalin. The scheme unravelled when police stopped the Volkswagen Golf he was driving with another man near Heathrow's Terminal Five in July.
During the search of the vehicle, officers discovered quantities of Xanax and Pregabalin, three mobile phones, two extra SIM cards, and a wallet containing £540 in cash. One of the phones was linked to a known drug supply line, and messages on the Telegram app showed direct communication with customers.
A Storage Unit Full of Pills
The investigation led police to a storage unit registered in Santa's name. Inside, they found a vast haul of prescription drugs. At Winchester Crown Court, Judge Barry McElduff vividly described the lock-up as an 'Aladdin's cave of drugs'.
Prosecutor Matthew Jolliffe outlined the scale of the find, stating the volume of pills indicated a business operation. Evidence showed Santa used courier services to distribute the drugs, receiving shipments, changing labels, and sending them on.
"The scale and the volume in the lockup suggests it was a commercial enterprise," Mr Jolliffe told the court. Santa admitted to receiving drug shipments at the unit, relabelling them, and organising their distribution.
Sentencing and Mitigation
Despite the serious charges of possession with intent to supply Class C drugs, Santa was spared immediate jail time. Judge McElduff handed him a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
In mitigation, defence counsel Ashley Hendron argued Santa did not play a leading role in the operation and was not living a lavish lifestyle from the proceeds. "This was not a sophisticated business, but it is not a leading role he took," Hendron said.
Judge McElduff, while passing sentence, noted Santa had been 'seduced by the money' after initially claiming he began the activity as a favour for a friend. The storage unit contained not only Xanax and Pregabalin but also other prescription medicines like Amoxicillin and steroids.
In addition to the suspended sentence, Santa was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community service and six days of rehabilitation activity. He must also pay £378 in prosecution costs.
The court heard there was no evidence he exploited his position at Heathrow Airport to facilitate the drug supply network.
