June 16, 2021 11.02 am This story is over 47 months old

Grimsby drug smuggler hid cocaine inside food packages

He tried to smuggle cocaine into the UK for profit

Kemar Livingstone Plummer was jailed after thousands of pounds worth of cocaine was found hidden in food packages. | Photo: National Crime Agency

A drug smuggler from Grimsby has been jailed for seven-and-half-years after hiding thousands of pounds worth of cocaine inside food packages, including cereal, coffee and baking mixes.

Kemar Livingstone Plummer, 35, arrived at Manchester Airport on a commercial flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica on January 9 last year. Plummer was jailed at Stockport Magistrates’ Court on June 11 after being found guilty of importing cocaine.

His suitcase was 4kg heavier than it had been when he checked in earlier in the morning on January 9, 2020. Upon searching it, Border Force officers uncovered two packets of brownie cake mix, a packet of banana flavoured cereal, a pancake waffle mix, a Jamaican fruit cake mix and a pack of Jamaican gourmet coffee.

A full search of the contents revealed a total of 3.5kg of cocaine hidden within the six food boxes. This quantity would fetch an estimated £122,000 if sold wholesale, or around £277,000 if sold on the UK streets, according to the National Crime Agency.

Cocaine was found hidden inside food packages. | Photo: National Crime Agency

Plummer was arrested on suspicion of drug importation offences and remanded in custody.

The National Crime Agency launched an investigation and their officers forensically examined Plummer’s mobile phone. They found WhatsApp messages from a contact telling him that they were worried and wouldn’t be able to sleep until they heard that Plummer had successfully retrieved his luggage.

Plummer’s phone also contained an image of a 10cm thick pile of £10 and £20 notes, which he claimed was from the sale of a car.

D. Pownall, NCA Senior Investigating Officer, said: “Plummer foolishly thought that he could get away with smuggling cocaine into the UK for profit.

“Drug smugglers play a key role in the drug supply chain, aiding organised crime groups in a trade that brings violence and exploitation to our communities.

“Protecting our borders and preventing drugs from reaching the UK remains a top priority, and we’ll continue to work with key partners like Border Force to ensure such criminal activity is disrupted.”