An Illegal online pharmacist from Eastfield, Scarborough, has received a substantial prison sentence.
An illegal online pharmacist who referred to himself a ‘Dr T’ has been jailed for 10 years 6 months.
Tarik Adam Mehmet Turan, aged 36, from Eastfield, Scarborough, was sentenced on Thursday 24 April 2025 at York Crown Court after previously pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of a variety of controlled drugs of Class A to Class C drugs over a year’s period.
He was also convicted of possession of criminal property regarding £280,000 that he could not account for being paid into his various bank accounts.
Turan had established a lucrative business in supplying prescription medication and ‘sesh’ drugs online using a WhatsApp group he had named ‘UK Pharmacy 2U’.
This group had members spread across the whole of the UK who would contact Turan for a variety of drugs ranging from diazepam to cocaine.
He would post extensive price lists of medications and ‘recreational’ drugs to the group, allowing customers to contact him and purchase what they liked.
Turan acted as the ‘middleman’ taking orders and arranging delivery, therefore never getting hands-on or coming into contact with the drugs he was supplying.
Customers would pay money to Turan in a variety of ways.
He acted as an unofficial pharmacist using the name ‘Dr T’, with his customers asking his advice about what the best ‘medication’ was for them.
Despite having no medical training, Turan would offer guidance on the best drugs to take and would then happily take payment and supply amounts far outweighing what would be clinically safe.
His activities were identified following the arrests of individuals who were purchasing drugs from him.
Mobile phone seizures resulted in the police getting sight of Turan’s WhatsApp group and the messages being exchanged.
He was arrested near to his home address on 11 May 2023.
His phone was seized, and officers gained access which showed the full extent of Turan’s criminal enterprise.
It showed him making sales from Scotland to the south coast of England.
Turan provided no account to the police across two interviews.
He was eventually charged in April 2024 with 33 offences of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs ranging from class A to Class C and possession of criminal property.
Investigating officer, DC Darrel Temple of Scarborough CID, said:
“The sentence handed down to Turan is a clear message that drug dealing will not be tolerated and that, eventually, those involved will face serious consequences.
“Turan thought he was safe operating an online business of supplying every drug you could imagine and making vast profits from it.
“His operation covered the whole country, and he was actively supplying medication that should only be prescribed by a qualified medical professional. Turan is anything but this.
“Taking illegal prescription drugs is dangerous and they contribute to a high number of drug deaths throughout the UK each year.
“Turan was fuelling this problem with his actions and has rightly been punished.
“It is apparent from the way Turan operated that he has a sufficient skill set to run a successful business.
“He now has time in prison to hopefully reflect on this and put his skills to better and law-abiding use when released.”
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