Latest news with #borderforce
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
'Will this take long?', man asks after going through 'nothing to declare' lane at Manchester Airport
A drug mule claimed he had 'only brought clothes' as he tried to pass through the 'nothing to declare' lane at Manchester Airport. Wembadive Onokoko aroused the suspicions of Border Force officers after arriving at Ringway on a flight from Thailand. After further investigation, the 21-year-old's suitcase was found to contain 15 kilos of cannabis, Manchester Crown Court heard. 'I don't know what it is, I only brought clothes,' he said after officers made the discovery. 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. READ MORE: BMW driver smashes into front of takeaway on first day of opening as police swarm area READ MORE: 'Major incident' declared in Greater Manchester town amid 'illegal waste' fire He was stopped by Border Force while he passed through the nothing to declare lane. Onokoko had a large black suitcase and a smaller holdall. Sign up to the MEN Court newsletter here 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. 'I don't know what it is, I only brought clothes,' he said. 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 accepts now that his actions were unlawful, and of course he accepts he will have to be punished for those actions,' Mr Jones said. '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. He had been offered £1,500 for the smuggling bid, the court was told. Join our Court and Crime WhatsApp group HERE 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 said he was able to pass a suspended prison sentence, noting that Onokoko's age, that he had expressed genuine remorse and that he was 'hard working' with a 'good work record'. 'In my judgement, it is possible to say, just, that this is an appropriate case to suspend the inevitable prison sentence,' the judge added. Onokoko, of Wrythe Lane, Carshalton, Sutton, 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.
News.com.au
02-07-2025
- News.com.au
Man allegedly caught hiding child abuse material in underwear and shoes
A Sydney man is behind bars after Australian Border Force officers allegedly discovered a significant stash of child abuse material hidden in his underwear, shoes, and electronic devices after he flew into Sydney from Fiji. The 52-year-old was arrested at Sydney Airport in the early hours of June 25, 2025, after ABF officers selected him for screening and uncovered a disturbing cache of material hidden both on his body and across his devices. A forensic examination of his phone allegedly revealed a large volume of child abuse material stored across multiple applications. During an interview, the man allegedly admitted to deleting some images before arriving in Australia. Following a baggage search, officers allegedly located an additional mobile phone, tablet, smartwatch, hard drive, and laptop, all of which were seized for further inspection. But a frisk search allegedly revealed the full extent of the concealment; five external hard drives were allegedly hidden in the man's shoes and another secreted in his underwear. The man was arrested and charged with the importation of child abuse material, use of a carriage service to transmit child abuse material on January 19, 2023, and between December 6, 2022 and June 25, 2025, and obstruction of Commonwealth officials. Acting Superintendent Michael Mahony praised the vigilance of ABF officers and described the case as 'a disturbing example' of the extreme lengths individuals go to in order to conceal illegal activity. 'This detection is the direct result of a robust combination of intelligence profiling, data analysis, and the vigilance of our frontline officers,' Superintendent Mahony said. 'But this isn't just about apprehending this individual, it's about protecting children from harm. Every file intercepted is a potential crime prevented and a child safeguarded. 'This case is a disturbing example of the extreme lengths some individuals go to in order to conceal their criminal activity, and we congratulate the officers involved for removing one more predator from our streets.' The man was refused bail and is expected to reappear in court on August 19.
ABC News
17-06-2025
- ABC News
Queensland man accused of producing child abuse material in the Philippines set to face court
A Queensland man accused of producing child abuse material in the Philippines is expected to face court today. The Australian Border Force allegedly found exploitation material on the 63-year-old's phone, laptop and two hard drives when he landed at Cairns Airport on Christmas Day last year. Two days later Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers searched his home. In May the AFP charged the man with possessing, controlling, producing, distributing or obtaining child abuse material outside Australia. The maximum penalty for the offence is 15 years' imprisonment. AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said the creation and spread of child abuse material was a "borderless crime". "Creating this material is a serious offence," he said. The man is due to face Cairns Magistrates Court today.
The Independent
17-05-2025
- The Independent
Drug smugglers caught with £37 million of cocaine in inflatable boat are jailed
Two drug smugglers who tried to move tens of millions of pounds of cocaine into the UK using an inflatable boat have been jailed. Bruce Knowles, 56, of Dereham, Norfolk, and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu, 32, from the Netherlands, were respectively sentenced to 17 years and three months in prison and 15 years during a hearing on Friday. The pair were caught by Border Force near East Benacre Broads in Suffolk in June last year attempting to sneak £37 million of cocaine into the UK. Officers discovered 350kg of cocaine, with a high purity rate of 78 to 84 per cent, hidden under a tarpaulin in the boat's hull. It is believed the men retrieved the drugs from a larger vessel off the coast of France. Two months earlier, they had completed a 'dry run', the court heard. In the June incident, the drug smugglers failed to stop for Border Force, with Gumrukguoglu jumping overboard and swimming towards shore while Knowles restarted the boat's engines and attempted to flee. Gumrukguoglu was arrested eight hours later after being found wandering around the town of Beccles barefoot by officers from Norfolk and Suffolk Police. Knowles' boat was grounded on a beach near Lowestoft after a pursuit, and he too jumped overboard to try to evade arrest. Paul Orchard, NCA operations manager, said: 'This was a fast-moving and dynamic interception of two men attempting to smuggle in a huge quantity of Class A drugs. 'Knowles and Gumrukguoglu continued to try and evade arrest to avoid a significant loss for their crime group.' The court was told that a van was waiting in Orton Broad to transport the smugglers and the haul of drugs ready for distribution at a second location. Judge Benson said the pair's 'substantial and important' role meant their sentences would be significant. 'If people like you were not prepared to smuggle large quantities of cocaine, then cocaine would not be available for addicts in the UK,' he said. Charlie Eastaugh, Border Force Maritime Director added in a statement: "Border Force officers are committed to disrupting organised crime and keeping Britain safe by preventing deadly drugs from reaching our streets. "During this pursuit, maritime officers bravely intercepted these criminals and seized 350kg of cocaine, ensuring those who threatened our border security are now facing the full force of the law."
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Immigration detainee who allegedly attacked two prison guards and sparked a manhunt is finally caught
An immigration detainee who allegedly attacked two border force officers before escaping a van has been arrested following a two-day manhunt. Police were called to Clyde in western Sydney about 3.40am on Thursday following reports a male officer, 54, had been stabbed in the neck and cheek. A second male officer, 36, was also assaulted, with both rushed to hospital. NSW Police said the officers were transporting 28-year-old Tongan National Paea Teu from Villawood to Sydney Airport when the alleged incident occurred. Teu allegedly escaped the van, sparking a two-day manhunt that ended on Friday after he was spotted at a home in Eschol Park in Sydney's southwest. He was arrested by police and later charged with causing wounding/grievous bodily harm to a person with intent to murder and wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was refused bail and is due to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday. A 24-year-old woman was also arrested at the home and was charged with knowingly harbouring, maintaining or employing an escaped inmate. She was granted bail and is expected to appear at Campbelltown Local Court on Thursday. NSW Police have said inquiries remain ongoing.
