A heroin trafficker has been jailed for more than five years after he was caught smuggling more than half a million pounds worth of the drug into Heathrow Airport.
Border Force officers stopped 46-year-old Khalid Mahmood at Terminal 4 after he arrived on a flight from Lahore in Pakistan, via Abu Dhabi, on November 24 last year.
Mahmood, a Pakistani national, who lived in Colonial Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, was travelling with one checked-in bag, which was searched by officers.
They found two tape-wrapped packages hidden among his clothing, and tests were carried out, which found the contents to be about 5.5kg of the class A drug with a street value of £632,700.
Mahmood was arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling and the case was referred to the National Crime Agency to investigate.
He was later charged with drugs importation.
Border Force officers use an array of search techniques including sniffer dogs, carbon dioxide detectors, heartbeat monitors and scanners – as well as visual searches – to find well-hidden stowaways, illegal drugs, firearms and tobacco that smugglers attempt to bring into the UK.
Phil Douglas, Border Force Heathrow Director, said: “Border Force officers are the front line in the fight against smuggling and play a crucial role in protecting the UK from illegal drugs and other contraband.
“I hope the length of the sentence handed to Mahmood serves as a warning to others who would consider trafficking heroin.
“Working with our colleagues in the NCA we are determined to do all we can to prevent drug smuggling and put those responsible behind bars.”
