Drugs 'tied to children's legs' - News in brief - Evening Standard
       

Drugs 'tied to children's legs'

A Mexican woman has been charged with drug smuggling after 15 kilos of cocaine were allegedly found strapped to the legs of two children at Heathrow airport, HM Revenue & Customs have said.

Elisa Vazquez Sanchez, 40, was arrested after the drugs, with an estimated street value of £675,000, were discovered during a search on Tuesday.

Customs officers at Heathrow's Terminal 4 carried out the search after Sanchez and the children arrived on a British Airways flight from Mexico City around lunchtime.

Bob Gaiger, HM Revenue & Customs spokesman at Heathrow, said: "We never cease to be amazed at the lengths to which some people will go to hide drugs from us when they pass through our controls."

Sanchez has been charged with attempting to smuggle a quantity of Class A drugs into the UK.

A 13-year-old boy has been bailed for one month and is due to attend Heathrow Police Station on 10 April, HM Revenue & Customs said.

An 11 year-old girl has been released without charge. Both children have been placed into the care of social services.

Sanchez is due to appear before magistrates at Uxbridge later.

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