Three individuals have been sentenced to prison following the interception of over 100 kilograms of cannabis at Heathrow Airport. The arrests highlight a significant international smuggling attempt thwarted by UK Border Force and the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The investigation began on September 20 when Border Force officials detained Raekelle Powell, a 22-year-old professional volleyball player from Toronto, upon her arrival at Heathrow. Authorities discovered approximately 19 kilograms of cannabis in her suitcase. During questioning, Powell admitted she had been paid just 300 Canadian dollars to transport the luggage, which had an estimated UK street value of £600,000.
Two days later, 24-year-old Siobhan McAtavey, a Northern Irish national, was intercepted after arriving from Bangkok. Border officials found a substantial amount of cannabis in her baggage, valued at approximately £1.1 million on the UK market.
On the same day, Meu Chew Wong, 42, from Malaysia, was also apprehended after flying in from Bangkok. Officers discovered 43 kilograms of cannabis concealed in two suitcases, with an estimated street value of £1.26 million. Wong claimed he believed he was transporting bird’s nests and had been paid 10,000 Malaysian Ringgit for his involvement.
All three smugglers admitted their guilt at earlier court hearings. Powell received a 15-month prison sentence at Isleworth Crown Court on October 24. Wong was sentenced to 16 months on October 25, and McAtavey was handed a 20-month term on October 30.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer Piers Phillips commented, “These sentences should act as a stark warning to anybody thinking of smuggling cannabis into the UK – you will be arrested, prosecuted, and put into prison. The gangs responsible for this trade have no concern for the fate of the couriers they employ. All they care about is profit.”
Authorities underscored their commitment to collaborating with domestic and international partners to disrupt the global drug trade and dismantle the networks fueling such operations.
