Smuggler strapped drugs to two children, UK court

From Reuters
10:10 AM PDT, May 23, 2008

LONDON -- A woman has been jailed for nearly 10 years after admitting to trying to smuggle hundreds of thousands of pounds of cocaine into Britain strapped to two children.

Elisa Vazquez Sanchez was stopped by customs officers after flying into London's Heathrow airport from Mexico last March.

More than 20 lb of the drug, with an estimated street value of $712,700, were found on the children and in their luggage.

Vazquez Sanchez, 40, from Mexico, was jailed for 9-1/2 years at Isleworth Crown Court after pleading guilty.

"The use of such young children in the smuggling of drugs demonstrates the ruthless nature of those criminal gangs involved in the illegal drugs trade," Peter Avery, assistant director of HM Revenue & Customs criminal investigations, said in a statement.

The two children have been taken into the care of social services.

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