Overview
- Ronald Lord, 71, was sentenced on Sept. 5 at Croydon Crown Court after pleading guilty to Class A drug smuggling on Aug. 5.
- Border Force officers at Gatwick X-rayed his mobility scooter on Feb. 7 and found eight kilograms of cocaine concealed in the seat back panel.
- The National Crime Agency estimated the haul’s street value at about £640,000.
- Investigators found a screw from the scooter’s seat panel in Lord’s pocket and verified he spent only three days in Barbados despite claiming a weeklong stay.
- Officials told CBC that phone messages on his device indicated he expected payment for the trip, and the NCA flagged the use of older couriers as a tactic by organized crime groups.