At Manchester Airport, a 56-year-old man named Casimiro De Lemos Francisco from Portugal was apprehended for drug smuggling. Authorities discovered 12kg of cocaine concealed inside his electric wheelchair while he was traveling from Bridgetown in Barbados. The Border Force officers found nearly £1 million worth of cocaine hidden inside the seat and backrest of the wheelchair through scanning, with a total of 11 packages weighing around 12kg. This incident led to De Lemos Francisco being charged with drug trafficking and remanded to Salford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 1. He is set to appear at Manchester Crown Court on May 6.
National Crime Agency (NCA) released photos of the cocaine discovery, displaying brown brick-shaped packages wrapped in tape inside the lining of the wheelchair seat. Senior Investigating Officer Charles Lee from NCA highlighted the creativity that crime groups use to smuggle cocaine, emphasizing how the NCA collaborates with partners at home and abroad to combat the menace of Class A drugs and safeguard the UK populace. This incident is one of various unconventional busts, showcasing the innovative methods drug cartels employ to hide their shipments. In a similar case last year, a record 5.7-tonne cocaine stash was uncovered within a banana shipment in Southampton port, representing the UK’s largest ever seizure of Class A drugs.
The massive haul would have been adequate to supply every individual in the UK twice over, approximating to a total of 114 million lines, according to Metro. Such discoveries underscore the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and the continuous efforts to counter new and sophisticated tactics employed by criminals in the illicit drug trade. Gemma Ross, the Associate Digital Editor at Mixmag, provides updates on the latest developments in this arena and can be followed on Twitter for more information
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