Smuggler swallowed cocaine worth Pounds 80k

A man from Bath has been jailed for six years after swallowingnearly 2lbs of cocaine and attempting to smuggle it through HeathrowAirport.

Benkelly Ubah, of Walcot Parade, admitted a charge of drugsmuggling when he appeared at Isleworth Crown Court. The 838 gramsof drugs had an estimated value of Pounds 80,000.

The 34-year-old was stopped by UK Border Agency officers atHeathrow after flying in from Costa Rica via Madrid in August. Hewas questioned and agreed to provide a urine sample and to be X-rayed, admitting he had taken drugs while in Costa Rica. The X-rayrevealed packages within his abdomen. When interviewed undercaution, Ubah, who has dual British and Nigerian nationality, saidhe was to have been paid Pounds 6,000 for smuggling the cocaine andthat he was to take the drugs to the Bath area.

Det Insp James Riccio, of Bath police's priority crime team,said: "We welcome this sentence and the excellent work by the UKBorder Agency. Drugs destined to be sold in Bath have been seizedand destroyed before they can cause harm in the city."

Agency assistant director for criminal and financialinvestigations Peter Avery said: "The concealment technique used bythis individual shows the lengths to which some people will go to inan attempt to avoid detection by our officers.

This drugs seizure shows the robust controls we have in place atour ports and airports.

"The UK Border Agency is at the forefront of the fight to stopdrugs, weapons, other contraband and illegal immigrants entering theUK, and our officers are on constant alert to keep them out of thecountry."