A New Zealander has been jailed for five years after he was caught trying to smuggle class A drugs worth around STG750,000 ($NZ1.46 million) into the UK.
Paul Da Silva, 57, from Auckland, was arrested by Border Force officers at London's Heathrow Airport in August. He had arrived on a flight from Dubai.
A Border Force spokesman said his arrest followed the discovery of a white powder leaking from one of his bags. Forensic tests revealed the powder to be methamphetamine and x-rays of his luggage revealed more hidden inside various electronic items.
In total the seizure weighed almost 4 kilograms and would have had a street value of nearly STG750,000.
Da Silva admitted a charge of attempting to import a class A drug and was sentenced to five years in prison by a judge at Isleworth Crown Court in West London on Friday (NZ time).
He will also face deportation at the end of his sentence.
Border Force senior investigating officer Siobhan Micklethwaite said she hoped the sentence served as a warning to others.
"This was a significant quantity of drugs and the sentence handed down to Da Silva reflects that."
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