Wolverhampton man among group charged with attempted drug smuggling into country

Peter Kargbo was arrested at Gatwick Airport on Saturday after arriving on a flight from Bangkok in Thailand and being found in possession of a bag containing 20 kilos of cannabis.

The 22-year-old, from Wolverhampton, was one of two people arrested at Gatwick at the weekend alongside Canadian national Malik Barrett, with the 29-year-old also being found in possession of a bag with 20 kilos of cannabis inside after arriving from Toronto on Sunday.

Kargbo and Barrett appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where they were remanded into custody before their next appearances at Croydon Crown Court on October 21 and October 28 respectively.

They are among a group of 11 people questioned by National Crime Agency investigators following their arrests by Border Force officers, after which they were charged with smuggling class B drugs.

Paige Jonas-Willingham, 21, of no fixed abode, and Paul Lambert, 42, from Salford, arrived on Saturday on a flight from Bangkok, via Muscat, with approximately 45 kilos of cannabis found in two suitcases from the same flight.

A third person, Raekelle Powell, 22, a professional volleyball player from Toronto in Canada arrived the same day on a flight from that city and was stopped after officers discovered approximately 19 kilos of the drug in suitcases.

A fourth person, Victoria Roberson, 35, from California, USA, arrived on the same day and was stopped after officers discovered approximately 36 kilos of cannabis in checked-in baggage.

On Sunday, Siobhan McTavey, 24, from Northern Ireland, arrived on a flight from Bangkok via Doha. Border Force officers found 45 kilos of the drug in baggage, while Malaysian national Chew Meu Wong, 42, arrived from Bangkok via Bahrain and was arrested after 43 kilos of cannabis was found in a bag.

Canadian nationals Christopher Duffell, 44, and Tania Fetherston, 51, who arrived on a flight from Toronto via Copenhagen, were arrested after 30.7 kilos and 34.7 kilos of the drug were found in luggage.

Malaysian national Siew Fong Chua, 33, who arrived on a flight from Bangkok, was arrested after 17.1 kilos of the drug was found in luggage.

Jonas-Willingham, Lambert, Roberson, Powell and McTavey all appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Tuesday, with Chua, Fetherston, Duffell and Wong appearing on Monday.

All were remanded into custody before their next appearance at Isleworth Crown Court on October 24.

NCA Branch Commander Andy Noyes said: “The NCA continues to warn people attempting to smuggle huge quantities of cannabis into the country.

“The gangs behind the trafficking of cannabis into the UK do not care that the couriers will likely be arrested and end up in prison – their sole purpose is to make money.

“Anyone who attempts to smuggle drugs into the UK needs to know that you will be identified, you will be arrested and you will spend time in prison.”

The NCA continues to work with law enforcement partners in both the UK and overseas to target high-risk routes, seize shipments of drugs and disrupt the criminal gangs involved, denying them profits.

Anyone with information on the smuggling of drugs through UK ports is urged to report it, anonymously if they prefer, by calling Border Force’s Customs Hotline on 0800 595 000.