HM REVENUE AND
CUSTOMS News Release (NAT 69/07) issued by The Government News
Network on 6 November 2007
Two London based
teenagers are in the custody of Ghanaian authorities, having been
arrested at Accra Airport on 2 November en route for London
Gatwick in connection with suspected drug smuggling into the UK.
The 16 and 19-year-old males were arrested under Operation
Westbridge after they were caught attempting to transport three to
four kilogrammes of cocaine through Kotoka International Airport,
Accra onto a London bound flight.
Operation Westbridge is a joint project set by HM Revenue &
Customs (HMRC) in conjunction with the Ghanaian narcotics
authorities to catch drug smugglers using Accra airport as a
gateway to the UK and other European countries.
Tony Walker, HMRC, Head of Operation Westbridge
said:
"The use of such young people in smuggling drugs
demonstrates the ruthless nature of those criminal gangs involved
in the illegal narcotics trade and the misery they cause. The
dedication of UK and Ghanaian drug detection officers has
prevented deadly Class A drugs from entering the UK.
"Operation Westbridge is proving a great success in
preventing harmful drugs hitting the streets of the UK and other
European countries. Westbridge powerfully demonstrates the
importance of working closely with other global partners such as
Ghana. This collaboration is helping to protect both countries
from the violence and corruption that always accompanies the trade
in illegal drugs."
Notes for editors
1. Operation Westbridge. An innovative
joint programme to tackle rising levels of cocaine smuggling from
Ghana was launched in November 2006. Under Operation Westbridge,
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers give technical and
operational expertise to the Ghanaian government. This includes
training in the use of Foreign and Commonwealth Office funded
scanning equipment.
2. Westbridge is funded by FCO (Global Opportunities Fund),
Ministry of Justice and HMRC. Since November 2006, Westbridge has
made 122 interceptions totalling 356kg of cocaine; 2,275kg of
cannabis; and 1.3kg of heroin.
3. This project follows the success of Operation Airbridge, a
joint UK/Jamaican initiative to catch drugs couriers with internal
concealments of Class A drugs before they board planes from
Jamaica. It proved the value of working in partnership with local
law enforcement agencies: during the four years that Operation
Airbridge has been running the number of drugs swallowers detected
at UK airports from Jamaica has reduced from approximately 1000
per year to 5 during the last 12 months.
4. West Africa has been identified in the United Nations Office
of Drugs & Crime Annual Drugs Report 2006 and the UK Threat
Assessment identifies the region as a staging post for Class A
drugs targeted on the UK.
5. The air courier route from West Africa, either directly to the
UK or in transit through other EU airports, is identified as a
specific threat.
6. Operation Airbridge - launched on 1 June 2002 - was agreed
between the British and Jamaican governments to co-operate on
tackling the large and increasing number of swallowers smuggling
cocaine between Jamaica and the UK.
7. The Ghanaian government requested assistance from the UK to
combat drug trafficking from their region.
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk