Mother jailed for drug smuggling

Catherine Walden hid the drugs under her T-shirt

A Norfolk mother has been jailed after customs officers at Gatwick Airport found cocaine with a street value of more than £83,000 strapped to her body.

Catherine Walden, 34, of Delgate Lane, Burnham Deepdale, was jailed for five years after admitting smuggling nearly 2kg of cocaine into the UK.

She had been returning from a holiday in Barbados with her two children when she was stopped in August last year.

Judge Nicholas Ainley sentenced Walden at Croydon Crown Court.

Walden, who is unemployed, had been passing through the airport's South Terminal on 19 August when she was stopped.

She was scanned and four packages were found strapped to her waist.

In total 1.97kg of cocaine was found in the packages, which had an estimated street value of £83,725.

Customs officers found 1.97kg of cocaine in four packages

Walden pleaded guilty to being involved in the importation of a Class A drug.

Maddy Ratnett, spokesperson for HM Revenue & Customs, said: "We are determined to prevent the importation of illegal drugs into the UK.

"These substances damage lives, endanger communities and are often linked to organised crime.

"The profits of the trade are often used to fund other criminal activity."