Gavin Archibald Thorburn, of Scatterill Close, Bradwell, was arrested on Monday as he landed at Birmingham international airport on a flight from Nairobi via Dubai.A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of smuggling three kilos of cocaine into the UK.Officers from the newly formed UK Border Agency (UKBA) seized the drugs which were found concealed in luggage.Mr Thorburn was charged with attempting to import three kilos of cocaine with a value of £120,000 - this would have doubled or even trebled once 'cut' by drug dealers. He was charged under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 and remanded in custody until next week.
Steve Roper, Detection Manager for UKBA, said: "This is an excellent result and an example of good joint working by our teams of officers. "We will continue to work with our partners in HMRC to tackle smugglers who attempt to bring goods illegally into the UK. "We hope this sends out a clear message that our approach is one of zero tolerance.
"Regional airports should not be seen as a 'soft touch' for smuggling activities."
Steve Roper, Detection Manager for UKBA, said: "This is an excellent result and an example of good joint working by our teams of officers. "We will continue to work with our partners in HMRC to tackle smugglers who attempt to bring goods illegally into the UK. "We hope this sends out a clear message that our approach is one of zero tolerance.
"Regional airports should not be seen as a 'soft touch' for smuggling activities."
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