Where is Richard Lubbock now? All about the subject of Breaking Dad: Britain’s Unlikeliest Drug Dealer

Richard Lubbock, once a respected antique dealer from North London, became one of the most unexpected figures in the UK’s drug trade. Authorities arrested Richard Lubbock in December 2009 after raiding his East London penthouse, where they discovered £1.5 million worth of crystal meth.

With no criminal record beyond a minor speeding violation, Lubbock was an unlikely suspect. The operation led to one of the largest methamphetamine seizures in UK history. Sentenced to eight years, he served four before his release.

However, within months of regaining his freedom, Richard Lubbock relapsed. His addiction continued for years until a heart attack in early 2024 prompted him to quit for good. Now 77, he resides in London, prioritizing his health and relationships as per The Jewish Chronicle.

His story is explored in Breaking Dad: Britain's Unlikeliest Drug Dealer, a two-part documentary based on Breaking Dad, a memoir written by his son, James. The documentary follows Lubbock’s transition from a legitimate businessman to a supplier of methamphetamine, a drug that was gaining traction in London’s nightlife scene during the early 2000s.

Breaking Dad: Britain's Unlikeliest Drug Dealer, released on Amazon Prime Video in 2024 and produced by Big Little Fish, provides a factual account of his rise and fall.

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"I would still be taking it if I hadn’t had a heart attack earlier this year"- Richard Lubbock introspecting about his drug addiction and life choices

Richard Lubbock’s life took an unexpected turn from being a respected North London antique dealer to becoming a significant figure in the UK’s methamphetamine trade. His story chronicled in Breaking Dad: Britain's Unlikeliest Drug Dealer, reveals how a man with no criminal history ended up at the centre of one of the largest crystal meth seizures in British history.

Despite serving a prison sentence and losing his assets, Lubbock admitted that he struggled to stay away from drugs. "I would still be taking it if I hadn’t had a heart attack earlier this year," he said, acknowledging that it was only this major health scare that forced him to quit for good according to The Jewish Chronicle, June 11, 2024.

Richard Lubbock’s involvement in drug dealing began after his marriage ended. Once a family man running a successful coin dealership, his life changed when both he and his wife Marilyn came out as gay. He became immersed in London’s underground scene, where drug use was rampant.

Initially introduced to methamphetamine in Cape Town nightclubs, he found it helped him overcome his natural shyness. Over time, he developed a dependency, which evolved into large-scale dealing.

His arrest in 2009 at his East London penthouse marked a significant turning point. Law enforcement anticipated capturing a dangerous criminal but instead encountered an unassuming individual with a skinny frame, an interest in classical music, and a passion for war documentaries, according to The Jewish Chronicle, June 11, 2024.

Officers uncovered £1.5 million worth of methamphetamine, making it the largest known haul of the drug in the UK at that time. Lubbock was sentenced to eight years in prison, serving four before being released.

While incarceration forced him to get clean, it did not end his addiction. Within months of his release, he relapsed. His son, James, who had written Breaking Dad a memoir about their family’s story, hoped that his father would turn his life around. However, Lubbock’s dependency on meth and his continued engagement in risky behaviors led to further struggles. Even after James found him severely ill with pneumonia, Lubbock continued using, which was a significant blow for his son.

The turning point came in early 2024 when Lubbock suffered a heart attack. Medical professionals warned him that unless he quit drugs and smoking, he would not survive.

"The heart attack shocked me even though I had had many warmings from the medical people to give up smoking and give up the drugs. I took no notice," he admitted , The Jewish Chronicle, on June 11, 2024.

Since then, he claims to have remained drug-free, although he says quitting cigarettes has been harder than quitting meth. Now 77 years old, Richard Lubbock resides in London, focusing on his health and family. He remains skeptical that his story could deter anyone from falling into addiction.

"Once people are addicted, they just are," he stated. "Nothing I or any ex-addict say is going to make any difference. You just don’t want to listen" The Jewish Chronicle, June 11, 2024.

Richard Lubbock's life, as depicted in Breaking Dad: Britain's Unlikeliest Drug Dealer, highlights how addiction can take hold of anyone, regardless of their background. Despite everything, his story serves as both a cautionary tale and an insight into the complexities of addiction and personal choices.

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