Helina Teferi, 21, a stewardess for Ethiopian Airlines, was sentenced to three years in prison after being stopped by Border Agency officers at Heathrow on a flight from Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on October 12, 2009.
Her baggage was searched and around 10.5kg of cannabis was found, concealed beneath a false bottom in the suitcase.
Helina admitted to the charges and was sentenced to three years in prison at Isleworth Crown Court on last Thursday (January 7).
Peter Avery, Assistant Director at the UK Border Agency’s Criminal and Financial Investigations directorate said: “Crew members are subject to the same checks as anyone else entering the UK.
“In this case, Helina would have been aware of the rules regarding controlled drugs, but yet she still attempted to exploit her position. This was reflected in the severity of her sentence.
“This latest success highlights our commitment to prevent drugs from reaching the UK’s streets.”
