Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Leicester pharmacy assistant jailed for stealing £330,000 diabetes-testing kits from workplace

A pharmacy assistant has been jailed for three years and seven months for stealing £330,000 worth of diabetes-testing kits from his workplace.

Abdul Nargoliya stole the products while working as a pharmacy assistant at a Lloydspharmacy counter inside a Sainsbury’s supermarket in Fosse Park, Leicester where we was employed since 2012.


The 30-year-old from Woodboy Street in Leicester was sentenced on Friday (May 26) after pleading guilty at Leicester Crown Court "to theft by an employee and concealing, transferring, converting criminal property".

According to police an internal investigation launched at the pharmacy branch in July 2018 revealed that more than 22,000 test kits had been ordered since January 2017.

Leicester Police said they identified Nargoliya as a suspect due to the time of the orders being placed matching up to his shift patterns. They arrested him in July 2018.

Orders for the products were placed by telephone and CCTV footage showed Nargoliya handling them.

It was noticed that during his shifts, the defendant would move the deliveries into a private consultation room and later leave with full carrier bags.

During a month when he was on leave, there was a substantial reduction in ordering of the products and examination of his personal phone revealed hundreds of calls to the stock ordering hotline.

Conversations were also found on the phone showing Nargoliya negotiating the sale of pharmacy products with various people. The court also heard investigations showed Nargolyia had deposited £429,000 to gambling companies.

Sgt Mike Archer, who handled the case, said: “Nargoliya was an employee who abused his position purely for his own financial gain. This was a premeditated and planned theft for a substantial sum of money. The consequences of his crimes had a significant impact on his colleagues and his workplace who had trusted in him.

“Thanks to an internal investigation in the company, evidence was presented to police allowing us to take this investigation forward and act quickly to disrupt his offending. I would like to thank the company involved for their co-operation and patience throughout this investigation and court hearings.

"I hope today’s sentence imposed gives businesses who suspect they are a victim of crime, the confidence to report to us and to know that we will work alongside you to fully investigate and to bring any offender to justice.”

More For You

Royal College status: The PDA calls for ‘meaningful and collaborative dialogue’

The profession’s success will depend on collaboration across all sectors, says PDA.

gettyimages

Royal College vote: Less than 7% of GB pharmacists in favour, says PDA

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has criticised the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) for moving too quickly to a ballot on its proposed transition to a Royal College, arguing that it resulted in low participation from pharmacists in Great Britain.

Announcing the results of the special resolution vote, the RPS said that the outcome was a “clear mandate” in favour of the transformative change.

Keep ReadingShow less
RPS Wales calls for urgent investment in pharmacy workforce at Senedd meeting

Third from the left: Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales

Photo credit: RPS

Invest in pharmacy workforce: RPS Wales urges Senedd members

Members of the Senedd (MSs) were briefed on the increasing pressures facing pharmacy teams and the urgent need for action to support their health and wellbeing at an event hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Wales.

The event, held on Wednesday, brought together MSs, including first minister Eluned Morgan, to discuss the findings of RPS’ latest Workforce Wellbeing Survey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Imported dengue reach record high, warns UKSHA

Most dengue cases were linked to travel to Southern and South-Eastern Asia.

Getty Images

Imported dengue cases hit record high – Consult your pharmacist before you travel

The UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) has warned that imported dengue cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (EWNI) have reached their highest level since dengue surveillance began in 2009.

New data from the agency reveals that 904 dengue cases were reported among returning travellers in these countries in 2024, a sharp increase from 631 in 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
Henry Gregg named as new NPA chief executive

Henry Gregg (left) with Sir Chris Whitty

Pic credit: Henry Gregg/X

Henry Gregg named as new NPA chief executive

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has announced Henry Gregg will be the organisation’s new chief executive from May.

Gregg, who is currently director of external affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, replaces Paul Rees who departed in January.

Keep ReadingShow less
Community pharmacist accessing GP Connect Access Record on Cegedim Rx platform

GP Connect Access Record will make a patient’s relevant medical information available to pharmacy.

Getty Images

Cegedim Rx activates GP Connect Access Record

Community pharmacy IT supplier Cegedim Rx has made GP Connect Access Record functionality available across its clinical services platform, providing registered pharmacy professionals with enhanced access to patient medical information.

The new feature, now live on Cegedim Rx’s Pharmacy Services platform, allows community pharmacies to retrieve relevant medical data when delivering NHS clinical services.

Keep ReadingShow less