Drugs smuggling: the use of children
The use of children as a means of concealing drugs is not new - indeed, last year there was a case of a mother who travelled into Moscow with her young son stuffed full of drugs. But last week's arrests at Heathrow are truly bizarre.
Two young children were identified at London's Heathrow airport last week as drugs couriers. But there was nothing sophisticated about the mechanism used - bags containing large quantities of cocaine were simply taped to the legs of the children who were then walked through the airport.
Approx 15Kg of cocaine with a street value of approaching GBP700,000 was found in Terminal 4 when their flight arrived from Mexico City. The children were accompanied by their mothers, a Mexican national.
The children were an 11 year old girl and a 13 year old boy. For authorities, that poses a difficult question. They are, in the UK, above the age of criminal responsibility and therefore, if it can be proved that they knew or suspected that their conduct was in some way wrong, they are liable to prosecution. Of course, there remains the question of influence by their mother.
Download PDF version of this page