Airport children had 15 kilograms cocaine tied to legs

Two Mexican children were being taken into the care of social services last night after they were intercepted at Heathrow with 15 kilograms of cocaine strapped to their legs.

A Mexican woman, believed to be their mother, who was stopped with the 11-year-old girl and 13-year-old boy, was being questioned by Customs officers about the drugs haul, estimated to have a street value of £675,000.

Revenue & Customs said that the case revealed the depths that people would plumb to smuggle illicit drugs into Britain.

The three were intercepted at lunchtime on Tuesday as they passed through Terminal Four after touching down on a British Airways flight from Mexico City. It is understood that no drugs were found on the woman.

Bob Gaiger, a spokesman for Revenue & Customs said that the woman who was stopped with the children had claimed to be their mother but that this was yet to be confirmed. A decision on whether to charge the woman with drug importation offences is expected to be made today.

The fate of the children was unclear last night, although Mr Gaiger confirmed that social services were trying to find them a foster home as a “temporary measure”. He would not rule out the option of the children being charged since there was provision under the law for prosecution.