Tia Clement
THE ARGUS (UK) - A WOMAN has been sentenced to two years in prison after she tried to smuggle more than £50,000 worth of cocaine through Gatwick.
Tadia Clement, 23, was stopped by Border Force officers at Gatwick on 5 September after she arrived on a flight from St Lucia.
After searches, officers recovered 291g of cocaine from her person which had been concealed internally – forensic tests indicate the drugs had a street value of £52,000.
Clement, a St Lucian national, was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on 30 October after pleading guilty to the importation of a class A drug.
Following the arrest by Border Force the investigation and prosecution were carried out by the National Crime Agency’s Border Policing Command.
Carole Upshall, Border Force regional director, said: “This was an excellent seizure and I would like to pay tribute to the Border Force officers who play a crucial role in protecting the UK from illegal drugs every day.
“We work closely with law enforcement colleagues, including the NCA, to prevent drug trafficking and do all we can to put those responsible behind bars.”
Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling should call our hotline on 0800 59 5000.