Canadian Pensioner Sentenced Six Years Smuggling £640K Cocaine Gatwick

Ronald Lord, a 71-year-old pensioner from Montreal, Canada, was caught attempting to smuggle eight kilograms of cocaine worth approximately £640,000 into the UK hidden in the back seat panel of his mobility scooter at Gatwick Airport. Despite claiming ignorance about the drugs and stating he was on a seven-day holiday to Barbados before sightseeing in the UK, investigations revealed he spent only three days in Barbados and a screw from the scooter panel was found in his pocket, undermining his claims. Lord pleaded guilty to class A drug smuggling charges during a hearing at Croydon Crown Court and was sentenced to six years in prison. The National Crime Agency (NCA) emphasized that organized crime groups rely on smugglers like Lord to bring drugs into the UK for distribution by violent and exploitative gangs. NCA Senior Investigating Officer Richard Wickham highlighted that Lord likely believed his age would make him less suspicious to law enforcement, but the case serves as a warning to others considering similar actions. The NCA, working with Border Force, remains committed to preventing class A drugs from reaching criminal gangs and prosecuting those involved.