A 19-year-old pregnant woman caught trying to smuggle more than 22 kilograms of cannabis into the UK has avoided prison after telling a court she was desperate for money to secure a home.
Daniella Kankam-Adu, a resident in London, was arrested at Newcastle International Airport on March 3 after Border Force officers uncovered a large stash of cannabis in her luggage. She had flown in from Toronto, Canada.
The drugs—estimated to have a street value of approximately £225,000—were found concealed in one of her suitcases. Officers became suspicious during a routine inspection when Kankam-Adu was unable to produce a key for one of her bags and began acting evasively, the court heard.
Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court that Kankam-Adu claimed to have packed the bag herself and initially denied any knowledge of its contents. However, during further questioning, she admitted that she had been recruited by a friend who offered her £250 to bring what she was told were vape products into the country to avoid tax.
Kankam-Adu confessed that she grew suspicious about the true contents of the luggage due to its weight and bulk but chose to proceed anyway. She told the court that she needed the money for a deposit on a home as she was expecting a child.
The court accepted her plea of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on the importation of cannabis and took into account that she had no previous convictions.
Glenn Gatland, defending, said his client had experienced a troubled upbringing, including time spent in foster care. He added that after learning she was pregnant, she was determined to build a better future for her child and saw the offer as a quick solution to her financial struggles.
Mr Gatland also revealed that Kankam-Adu had suffered a miscarriage while on remand in custody, where she had already spent three months before sentencing.
“Her time in custody has been a harsh but sobering experience,” he said. “It has been a life-changing period for her.”
Judge sentenced Kankam-Adu to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, citing her vulnerability, lack of criminal history, and the time already spent in custody as key factors in the decision.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
