/ 27 September 2010

SA flight attendant jailed in UK for drug smuggling

A South African Airways (SAA) flight attendant has been jailed for seven years in the United Kingdom after trying to smuggle drugs into the country, the UK Border Agency said on Monday.

Elphia Dlamini (42) from Cape Town tried to smuggle cocaine into the UK in her bra and underpants in June, the agency said in a statement.

She first appeared in the Uxbridge Magistrate’s Court in August where she pleaded guilty for importing a Class A drug into the country.

Dlamini was sentenced on Friday in the Isleworth Crown Court.

The flight attendant had been on a flight from Johannesburg to London Heathrow when she was caught.

Upon landing at Heathrow, the entire crew was subjected to customs examination, led by a sniffer dog nicknamed “Clever Trevor” by officers.

When passing Dlamini, the Springer Spaniel quickly indicated to his handler that he had picked up the scent of cocaine.

Dlamini immediately admitted carrying drugs and officers seized three wrapped packages that were concealed in her underwear.”

Three kilograms of cocaine were found in her possession, valued at £20 000.

The assistant director of the criminal and financial investigations directorate at the UK Border Agency, Peter Avery, said: “This drug smuggling attempt is particularly serious because this woman has sought to abuse her position, thinking the UK Border Agency would pay less attention to airline and airport staff. That’s simply not true.” — Sapa