By James Simons-
Benjamin Brown, a drug dealer associated with the tragic death of a Cambridge University student, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
Cambridge University student Keshava Iyengar, aged 20, was found dead in a friend’s room at Trinity College on March 13, 2021. An inquest revealed that Mr. Iyengar’s death was drug-related, resulting from an overdose of anti-anxiety medication.
While Cambridgeshire Police clarified that it couldn’t definitively establish a causal link between Brown’s actions and Mr. Iyengar’s death, Brown was sentenced for the supply and possession of drugs.
The police investigation unearthed incriminating messages on Mr. Iyengar’s phone from a drug dealer operating under the alias “Lean Xan Man.” This self-proclaimed “pharmacist” conducted his illicit business through popular social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.
Subsequent police work identified Lean Xan Man as Benjamin Brown, a 32-year-old residing on Byrefield Road, Guildford, Surrey.
Brown was apprehended on July 27, 2021, and a search of his residence uncovered not only drugs but also over £15,000 in cash, along with sticky labels bearing his apparent “business logo.”
Brown admitted guilt to multiple charges, including being involved in the supply of class A, B, and C drugs, as well as possession with intent to supply class C substances.
The sentence was handed down at Huntingdon Law Courts on Friday.
The judge characterized Brown’s drug-dealing enterprise as “substantial, sophisticated, and lucrative.” He emphasized that Brown, driven by greed, had profited from the vulnerabilities of individuals dependent on prescription medication for conditions such as anxiety.
Detective Constable Dan Harper, who led the investigation, commented on the case, stating, “Brown was running a huge operation from his bedroom in Surrey, which had tragic consequences.
It is not possible to prove that Brown’s actions caused the death of Keshava, but you can say with certainty that drugs ruin lives, and there is a reason why some can only be prescribed by a medical professional.”
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