UK-born Ghanaian caught smuggling 22kg cannabis from Canada spared jail

A pregnant drug mule has avoided jail for smuggling cannabis into Britain.

Daniella KanKam-Adu, 19, tried to bring 22.5 kg of cannabis from Canada. She was offered £250 for this job at Newcastle Airport on March 3. KanKam-Adu, from Queens Road in London, thought her luggage contained vapes. However, Border Force found large amounts of cannabis instead.

When questioned by airport officials, she claimed she packed her own bags. She insisted there was nothing concerning inside them. Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw told Newcastle Crown Court that she initially refused to open her suitcase. When officers prepared to force the locks, her attitude changed and became obstructive.

The suitcase held 22.5 kilos of cannabis worth around £67,500 wholesale. Its street value was about £225,000. KanKam-Adu pleaded guilty to trying to import cannabis illegally. Prosecutors accepted her plea that a friend suggested bringing vapes back to avoid tax.

She said she was promised £250 for the task and followed instructions from Toronto. KanKam-Adu received a suitcase but realized it contained drugs due to its size and weight. She did not know the drugs' value but returned anyway because she needed money.

Her lawyer, Glenn Gatland, explained that KanKam-Adu had a difficult childhood in care homes. Before the offense, she discovered she was pregnant and wanted a better life for her child. He described her as "naive" for agreeing to help her friend with the smuggling.

Gatland noted that she spent three months in custody during which she suffered a miscarriage. He argued that this experience would deter her from future trouble. Ultimately, KanKam-Adu received a 12-month sentence suspended for 18 months.