A mother and son duo from Darwen have been locked up after plotting to smuggle a whopping 14 kilograms of cocaine into the UK from the Dominican Republic. The National Crime Agency (NCA) uncovered their sinister plan, which unravelled at Manchester Airport in April 2025.
Smuggling Scheme Exposed by Border Force
Amanda Meadowcroft, 53, was stopped by Border Force officers on her return to the UK. At the time, she was already serving a suspended sentence for previous drug smuggling. Caught with 14 packages of cocaine valued at around £294,000, she was arrested alongside another woman who has since been released without charge.
Two mobile phones seized from Meadowcroft revealed chilling text messages between her and her son, Bradley Couzins, 34. Bradley masterminded the whole operation from Lancashire, arranging flight details and contacts to collect the class A drugs.
Son’s Plan, Mother’s Choice: Economy or First Class?
Texts show Bradley gave his mum the choice: a cheap economy trip to the Dominican or a posh first-class flight to Thailand. After Amanda’s arrest, Bradley tried to dodge capture by moving locations, but NCA officers intercepted him in Blackpool in August 2025.
During his arrest, Bradley smashed his phone with handcuffs and injured an NCA officer—a brutal move that earned him an additional assault charge.
Heavy Sentences for Criminal Pair
Both pleaded guilty to importing cocaine at Manchester Crown Court in September 2025. Today, they were sentenced to hefty jail terms: Amanda Meadowcroft got seven years, while Bradley Couzins was handed seven years and six months behind bars.
“This criminal family went to great lengths to source and smuggle class A drugs into the UK,” said an NCA spokesperson. “Their greed led to a violent assault on a dedicated officer, who thankfully has made a full recovery.”
“Working with Border Force and Lancashire Police, we will continue to smash drug supply chains and bring criminals to justice.”
