Portuguese Man Jailed Seven Years for Smuggling £1m Cocaine in Wheelchair UK

Casimiro De Lemos Francisco, a 56-year-old Portuguese man, was jailed for six years and nine months after attempting to smuggle nearly £1 million worth of cocaine into the UK hidden in an electric wheelchair. He pretended to be disabled while moving through Manchester Airport, where Border Force officers discovered 11 packages of cocaine concealed in the wheelchair's backrest and seat, totaling 12kg. A tracking device used by the crime group to monitor the shipment was also found in the wheelchair's battery compartment. When questioned, Francisco claimed ignorance of the concealed drugs, stating authorities would need to ask his friend. The National Crime Agency condemned the tactic as particularly abhorrent and highlighted ongoing efforts to combat Class A drug smuggling. This case follows a similar incident in which Ronald Lord, a 71-year-old Canadian, was jailed for smuggling £600,000 worth of cocaine in a mobility scooter at Gatwick Airport earlier in 2025.