The UK Border Agency is actively combating smugglers at ports and airports. A couple caught at Gatwick Airport with cocaine in their luggage denies knowledge of the drugs, claiming they were planted. Despite their plea of not guilty, they face serious charges if convicted. Meanwhile, officers in Manchester intercept a man returning from Thailand via Paris, who initially denies but then admits to recent cocaine use. His toothbrush tests positive for cocaine, leading to a search that uncovers cocaine hidden in his pants. He pleads guilty and receives a conditional discharge. The efforts of the border officers highlight the ongoing battle against drug smuggling into the UK.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The UK Border Agency is working to stop smugglers at ports and airports.
2. A flight from St. Lucia has landed at Gatwick Airport, and UK border officers are searching for signs of Class A drugs.
3. A sniffer dog named Lucy is being used to detect the presence of drugs.
4. Two passengers are stopped and questioned by officers, and Lucy shows interest in their luggage.
5. The passengers are searched, and a bag containing cylindrical packages is found.
6. The packages test positive for cocaine, and the passengers are arrested.
7. The female suspect is a former heroin addict and asks for her medication.
8. The suspects are taken into custody and later plead not guilty, but the evidence against them is strong.
9. The cocaine seized from the suspects weighs 3.5 kilograms.
10. In a separate incident, a man is stopped at Manchester Airport after arriving from Italy, and his toothbrush is swabbed for cocaine.
11. The man admits to having used cocaine in the past, and his bags are searched.
12. A search of the man's person reveals two small packages of cocaine hidden in his underwear.
13. The man is arrested and later pleads guilty to the crime, receiving a conditional discharge.