Portsmouth head shop bids to sell entire legal high stock before ban

Supplying, producing and importing legal highs becomes a crime tomorrow following parliament bringing the New Psychoactive Substances Act into force.

But The News understands Gyspy Kings is staying open until midnight – before the ban comes into force – and has cut its prices to shift stock at its store in Commercial Road, Portsmouth.

Flick Drummond, Portsmouth South MP, said: ‘That’s shocking, they’re selling drugs which can kill people and they should really examine their conscience, I’m absolutely appalled.

‘They know perfectly well this law was coming in, they shouldn’t be selling these drugs.’

There is no suggestion the shop is doing anything legally wrong as the ban has not come into force.

When the ban does come into force tomorrow it will be a crime to produce, supply, offer to supply, or import any psychoactive substance.

Peter Stanley is the owner of Gypsy Kings, which has a sister shop in Havant.

He said the shop will stop selling legal highs and will comply with the law.

But the shop is staying open late tonight and selling the items.

Peter said: ‘I’ve either got to sell it or give it to the police so I would rather sell as much as I can.

‘I can sleep well, I’ve got no problem – it’s horses for courses.

‘Ninety-nine per cent of people who come into our shop have a can of Special Brew or a bottle of vodka, nobody’s asking “what about the alcohol?”

‘The police have more trouble with caused with alcohol.’

He added: ‘We’ve only sold it because it was legal, if it wasn’t legal we wouldn’t have sold it.’

Gypsy Kings is due to appear on a BBC3 documentary online.

Peter, 45, explains he made £25,000 in turnover a week over from selling legal highs.

He added: ‘They’re not good, I’ve seen some horrific things and people but they’re certainly a good alternative to what people can’t get hold of.’

The shop will sell vape products after the ban.