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British couple with children arrested over 'cocaine bags'
Danny Brierley19.02.09
A BRITISH couple have been arrested in South America accused of carrying £200,000 of cocaine.
Paul and Laura Makin appeared in a court, where they were detained after a short hearing. They have not been charged but are likely to remain in custody until an inquiry is completed.
Authorities in Venezuela said they were attempting to smuggle 24kg of the drug wrapped in parcels in three suitcases.
They and their four children were detained at the airport on the island of Margarita where it is thought they were trying to board a flight to London.
The children, two-year-old twins, a seven-year-old and an eight-year-old, were put into foster care.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the couple were arrested on Monday but had not been charged. Its staff in Venezuela were offering consular support. It was not known where the couple are from or how old they are. Family members are said to have flown out to look after the children.
According to reports in the US, Venezuela is becoming an increasingly attractive stop-over point for smugglers carrying cocaine out of neighbouring Coloumbia, the world's top producer of the drug.
American drug agencies say that up to 220 tons of cocaine, a third of what Colombia produces each year, pass through Venezuela. The figure is double what it was in the Nineties.
Reader views (2)
this is out rage of course there not inocent , they new what they were doing
- Speckle, liverpool
This should be easy enough to sort out. If they checked in bags that were not overweight then they are probably innocent and the drugs were probably stuffed in their cases before loading. However, no one could fail to notice an extra 24kg weight in their luggage.
- Paul, London
