Three drug couriers who attempted to smuggle cocaine worth around £50,000 into the UK on the same flight into Gatwick have been jailed.
National Crime Agency officers began an investigation after Catara Mattie, 20, from Eccles in Greater Manchester, Shantori Daniels, 23, and Shaliquah Talbot, 27, both from Birmingham, arrived into the airport on 11 November 2020 having flown from Kingston, Jamaica.
When searched by Border Force officers all three were found to have internal concealments of cocaine. The total weight of the packages was just under a kilo.
The trio all gave differing stories when interviewed by NCA investigators following the seizures.
Mattie admitted doing the drugs run for cash, while Talbot and Daniels both claimed to have been given the drugs by men they met in a bar or restaurant.
All three pleaded guilty to importing class A drugs.
During a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on 9 December Daniels was sentenced to 32 months in prison, while Mattie got 3 years imprisonment.
Today (7 January 2021) at the same court Talbot was sentenced to 32 months in jail.
National Crime Agency Gatwick Branch Commander Mark McCormack said:
“These young women had their whole lives ahead of them, instead they chose to risk their immediate futures in pursuit of money, and will now have to live with the consequences.
“Their stories should be a stark reminder to those who would attempt to do the same – it simply isn’t worth the risk.
“Organised crime groups need couriers like these women to bring their illicit commodities into the UK. Working with our partners across law enforcement we are determined to do all we can to stop them and target the criminal networks involved in international drug trafficking.”
