Heathrow drug smuggler jailed for six years
A man who was caught by Border Force attempting to smuggle cocaine worth almost £1million into the UK has been jailed for six years.
Officers stopped Swedish national Kazeem Agboola Raufu, 49, in the customs channels at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 1 on 21 April 2014.
He had arrived on a flight from Frankfurt and claimed to have travelled to the UK for three days from Sweden to visit a relative. During a search of his baggage Border Force noticed a trolley case he was carrying was unusually heavy. It was x-rayed, and a concealment of white powder discovered within the case. Field tests showed the powder was cocaine.
The case was referred to the National Crime Agency’s Border Policing Command and, following questioning, Raufu was charged with attempting to import a class A drug.
Forensic tests carried out on the powder inside the case showed that it was cocaine with a purity of 93 per cent. The four kilos of the drug found in Raufu’s possession would have had a UK street value of almost £1million if cut and sold. On Thursday 5 June Raufu appeared at Isleworth Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Marc Owen, Border Force Heathrow Director, said: “The cocaine found by Border Force officers was of an extremely high purity – more than 90 per cent – which I’ve no doubt was destined for the streets of the UK. “This seizure will represent a significant dent in the profits of the criminals involved. Working with our colleagues from the NCA we are determined to do all we can to stop traffickers and the criminal networks involved in drug smuggling.”
Criminal investigations launched as a result of Border Force seizures of prohibited items and goods are undertaken by officers from the National Crime Agency’s Border Policing Command. The NCA is leading the UK’s fight to cut serious and organised crime, including child exploitation, drug and people smuggling, illegal immigration and fraud and cyber crime. Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling should call our hotline on 0800 59 5000.
