HM Revenue and Customs
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'Coke' smuggling grandmother jailed
A 77 year old grandmother and her 49 year old daughter were today jailed for a total of 27 years. They were sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court for smuggling 16 kilos of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £800,000 into the UK. Customs Officers intercepted them arriving at the Port of Dover in March this year.
Ambrozine Heron (77), Paulette Chambers (49), both from Smethwick, Birmingham, were jailed for 13 and 14 years respectively.
Malcolm Bragg, Assistant Investigation Director for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said:
"This detection of a class A drug, and subsequent conviction of the couriers, is the latest in a series of successes by HMRC who continue to play a key role in protecting our communities, and highlights our proactive role in reducing drugs being brought into the UK. We would encourage anyone with information relating to smuggled goods to contact the customs hotline number on 0800 59 5000 or email: customs.hotline@hmrc.gov.uk ."
He added: "This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office which shows that together we will pursue and bring to justice those breaking the law to protect all our communities from the effects of criminal activity."
The court heard that on Friday 21 March 2008, HMRC officers stopped a Nissan Pathfinder car, registered to Heron, at Dover's Eastern Docks. Officers searched the car and found two large shopping bags in between the second and third row of seats. Each bag contained approximately twenty tins of fruit concealing cocaine. Heron and Chambers were jointly arrested and formally charged with attempting to import a controlled drug.
On sentencing Her Honour Judge Adele Williams said:
"Cocaine is a dangerous drug capable of causing havoc in people's lives. The vehicle in which you were travelling was a mobility scheme vehicle which Ambrozine Heron was entitled to because of her disability. In all the evidence before me, you, Chambers were a prime mover in the importation and you Heron were a willing participant in the importation. I have no doubt your role in the car was to show respectability in respect of your age and health problems.''
Notes for editors
1. Ambrozine Heron, DOB 16/07/1931, of Flat 24 The Mews, Bearwood Road, Smethwick, B66 4LJ.
2. Paulette Chambers, DOB 21/06/1959, of Flat 24 The Mews, Bearwood Road, Smethwick, B66 4LJ. Chambers pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier court hearing.
3. The Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) was created by Royal Assent on 7 April 2005. An independent prosecuting authority, RCPO reports directly to the Attorney General, and is responsible for prosecuting some of the largest drug and fraud cases in the UK.
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk
