Nigerian jailed for eight years for trying to smuggle drugs into Yorkshire

Ikechukwu Christopher Akando told customs officers before the discovery he planned a holiday in the area because “you have interesting places to see”.

But Diana Maudslay prosecution told Leeds Crown Court he could not name them saying he intended to choose them when he got to his hotel.

Akando was waiting for a suitcase which he said he had been asked to bring by another man and when it appeared it was X-rayed and two tinfoil wrapped packages were then removed from the extendable handles on the bag.

The 507 grammes of white powder inside were found to contain 365 grammes of pure cocaine of which Akando denied any knowledge.

Akando, 44, was found guilty by a jury on a 10-2 majority of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion on importation.

Recorder Abdul Iqbal said he was being sentenced as a courier of the drugs worth about £63,000 if sold on the streets.

“The profits to be made from trafficking class A drugs are huge and the problems they cause in this country are even greater in terms of crime and addiction.”

Akando worked in the accounts department for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company and the trip was equivalent to months of his income.