On 5/9, Ronald Lord, a 71-year-old resident of Montreal, Canada, was sentenced by a London court for trafficking Class A drugs.

He was arrested on 7/2 at the airport, claiming he had spent seven days on vacation in Barbados before entering the UK for sightseeing. However, border forces X-rayed his wheelchair and discovered 8 kg of Class A drugs hidden in a compartment behind the backrest.

Experts from the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) estimated the drugs' value at approximately £640,000 (23 billion VND).

8 kg of drugs were hidden in the back of Ronald Lord's wheelchair upon entry. Photo: National Crime Agency

8 kg of drugs were hidden in the back of Ronald Lord's wheelchair upon entry. Photo: National Crime Agency

Lord claimed ignorance about the drugs' presence in his wheelchair. However, during a search, police found several screws in his bag that matched the panel removed to conceal the drugs, suggesting he had not had time to replace them.

Authorities checked with airlines and discovered that he had lied about his time in Barbados. He had only been there for three days before traveling to the UK.

A phone search revealed text messages with others about being paid for this "business trip."

A senior NCA investigating officer stated that drug gangs are employing various methods to select drug mules.

"He probably thought his age and disability would make him less of a target. He was wrong. I hope this case sends a message to anyone considering doing the same," the NCA representative warned.

The NCA also reported that in May, UK border forces discovered a 23-year-old American citizen hiding crack cocaine worth almost £800,000 (29 billion VND) inside an 8 kg wheel of Parmesan cheese. He was sentenced to five years and three months in prison in August.

This year, the NCA has also successfully prosecuted other drug smugglers who hid their goods in air compressors, dry ice, and artificial grass.

Hai Thu (According to CBC, Telegraph)