Drug mule asks 'will this take long' after going through 'nothing to declare' line at airport

A brazen drug mule asked "will this take long" as he attempted to pass through the 'nothing to declare' lane at one of the UK's busiest airports.

Wembadive Onokoko claimed he had "only brought clothes", but caught the attention of Border Force officers after arriving at Manchester Airport on a flight from Thailand. The 21-year-old's suitcase was found to contain 15 kilos of cannabis, Manchester Crown Court heard, but after officers made the discovery he told them: "I don't know what it is, I only brought clothes." Onokoko later pleaded guilty on one count of importing a Class B drug, and this week avoided jail after being handed a suspended prison sentence.

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Prosecuting, Katherine Wright said Onokoko was spotted just after 7am on May 27 last year, after arriving at Manchester Airport on a flight from Thailand, via Doha.

He was stopped by Border Force while he passed through the nothing to declare lane, reports Manchester Evening News. Onokoko had a large black suitcase and a smaller holdall. When questioned by officers, he confirmed that the baggage belonged to him and that he had packed it.

After being asked for the PIN code for the suitcase, he began looking on his phone but did not provide it. Forcing it open, the officers discovered 25 vacuum sealed packages containing 15 kilos of cannabis.

The 21-year-old told them he had "only brought clothes." After being told he was under arrest, Onokoko replied: "Will this take long? I've only got six hours." He was taken to Ashton police station to be interviewed, where he denied any knowledge of the cannabis. Ms Wright said that in a pre-sentence report compiled by the probation service, Onokoko said he was "trying to make quick money".

Defending, Keith Jones said Onokoko found himself in a "difficult situation he was unable to overcome". He said: "He accepts now that his actions were unlawful, and of course he accepts he will have to be punished for those actions. This isn't a situation he wants to find himself in again."

He said that Onokoko was a new dad at the time and was experiencing financial troubles, and had been offered £1,500 for the smuggling bid. Mr Jones appealed for the judge to impose a suspended sentence, noting Onokoko had already spent about three months behind bars on remand.

Sentencing, Judge Neil Usher told the defendant: "You felt under pressure to provide financially for your family. The irony is of course that you have let your family down enormously in choosing easy money and committing crime."

The judge gave him suspended prison sentence, mentioning Onokoko's age, the fact he had expressed genuine remorse and that he was 'hard working' with a 'good work record'. The judge added: "It is possible to say, just, that this is an appropriate case to suspend the inevitable prison sentence,"

Onokoko, from Carshalton in South London, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to one count of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug. He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and five rehabilitation activity requirement days.