'Grey haired' drug smuggler is jailed; COURT: French woman found with 1.5 kilos of cocaine at Birmingham airport.

Byline: By Nick McCarthy

A FRENCH woman has been jailed for nine years for trying to smuggle 1.5 kilos of cocaine through Birmingham airport.

Simone Ferre, 66, tried to smuggle the Class A drug, which has an estimated street value of pounds 200,000, in her bright coloured hand luggage.

The court heard that Ferre hoped her grey hair, senior years and eccentric looking bag would allow her to breeze through Customs.

In addition to the substantial amount of drugs she was carrying 4,300 euros, pounds 320 sterling and 600 Kenyan shillings.

The cash has been detained under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

In sentencing Ferre at Birmingham Crown Court after she was convicted of illegal importation of drugs, Judge Juckes said: "I have to sentence you on the basis that you knew full well what you were doing and that with the appearance of a white-haired grandmother carrying an eccentric coloured bag, you would have more chance than others of getting away with this importation if it were not for a sharpeyed Customs officer.

"You tried to lie yourself out of the situation with a story about hair dressing supplies."

The court heard that UK Border Agency officers at Birmingham airport stopped Ferre when she arrived on a flight via Brussels from Nairobi, Kenya, on April 26.

Officers searched her luggage and found the cocaine concealed in its base.

John Theobald, senior investigation officer for HMRC, said: "We are working alongside the UK Border Agency to stop these dangerous drugs entering the UK and to reduce the associated harm to our communities."

CAPTION(S):

BRIGHT COLOURED... the passport of Simone Ferre who tried to smuggle cocaine through Birmingham airport in 'eccentric' hand luggage.