Man Caught Swallowing 50 Cocaine Pellets at Gatwick
Martinus Gunning, 42, was busted by the National Crime Agency after landing at London Gatwick from the Netherlands on 10 January 2021. Initially, he told Border Force officers he was just visiting a girlfriend. Minutes later, he admitted to swallowing 50 packets of cocaine.
Hundreds of Grams of High-Purity Coke Seized
Officers recovered a total of 463 grams of class A drugs from Gunning’s system. Forensic experts assessed the cocaine purity at between 76% and 78%, estimating its street value at a whopping £37,040 once cut.
Before flying to Gatwick, Gunning tried sneaking through by Eurostar from Amsterdam but bolted from immigration control before officers could question him. He then switched tactics and caught a plane instead.
Judge Slams Dangerous Drug Smuggling
At Lewes Crown Court yesterday, Gunning pleaded guilty to drug importation and was sentenced to 32 months behind bars.
“This method of smuggling is dangerous. The rupture of a single one of the 50 pellets in the body could have been fatal,” said NCA Branch Commander Mark McCormack.
“Organised crime groups exploit people like Gunning to move drugs across borders, caring nothing for the safety of the smugglers or drug users. Consumers need to understand the grim reality behind what they take.”
“Thanks to Border Force and NCA teamwork, these dangerous drugs were stopped dead before hitting UK streets. We remain committed to cracking down on the class A trade, which drives violence and exploitation globally.”
