An importer of cocaine arrived at Heathrow Airport and was found to have over 20 kgs, with a purity of 90%, in his suitcase. That had a street value estimated at no less than andpound;3.25 million in 1992. The importer described how he had gone to Rio de Janeiro, where he had been given the suitcase and asked to bring it in. He was convicted rather than pleaded guilty. The Court upheld a sentence of 18 years’ imprisonment, pointing out that the fact that he had a good character was not of the same significance as in some other areas of the law, since couriers almost invariably are chosen for that amongst other features, pointing out also that he was not a big figure in the drugs trade, although he was a significant one, and stating that, in the circumstances, the proper sentence was at the upper end of the range for a courier. The Court concluded that a sentence of 18 years could not be said to be either wrong in principle or manifestly unjust.
Citations:
[1996] 1 Cr App R (S) 251
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Cited by:
Cited – Regina v Kayar CACD 2-Mar-1998
A sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment imposed following trial was reduced to one of 16 years in respect of an offender who had organised the importation of a 10.3 kilo consignment of heroin. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Criminal Sentencing
Updated: 08 October 2022; Ref: scu.187947