British pensioner 'drug mule', 79, arrested in Chile claims Mexican gang promised him £3.7million to carry suitcase with 5kg of crystal meth
A British pensioner has been arrested in Chile after a Mexican gang allegedly promised him £3.7million to smuggle a suitcase of crystal meth.
The 79-year-old was held after leaving a flight from the Mexican resort of Cancun at Santiago Airport.
He was booked on a flight to Sydney in Australia the following day after spending a night at a hotel in the Chilean capital.
The unnamed pensioner was remanded in custody following a court appearance after a judge approved a prosecution request to send him to prison pending probable charges and trial.
Police say the drugs he was caught with would have been worth around £200,000 on the streets of the south American country.
He was intercepted after his luggage was put through an airport scanner.
The British traveller was asked to open his suitcase in front of police after they detected a 'suspicious' substance and cops discovered a secret compartment where 5kg of the drugs had been packed.
Airport police chief Sergio Paredes said it was the first time the arrested man had entered Chile.
He said: 'This person came from Mexico and when he was arrested and taken to the anti-narcotics squad's airport offices, he said that the suitcase had been received by some Mexican nationals at Cancun airport.
'He was due to spend a night in a hotel in the centre of Santiago before boarding a flight to Sydney, Australia.'
Mr Paredes said police were still investigating whether the drugs were due to remain in Chile or be taken to Australia.
He told local press: 'Prosecutors are looking into this and trying to establish whether the drug was for internal consumption or was due to be transported by this British national to Australia.'
Chilean customs officers released pictures of the drugs they had confiscated, saying: 'Customs officials intercepted a foreign citizen with more than five kilos of methamphetamines hidden in a secret compartment in his luggage at Santiago Airport.
'He was stopped after his luggage was scanned and has been remanded in custody.'
The drugs arrest is the latest in a series of similar recent apprehensions around the world involving British nationals, although most have been far younger than the man held in Chile.
Yesterday it emerged a British couple aged 33 and 34 had been held at Valencia airport after police discovered 33 kilos of cannabis in their luggage.
The pair claimed they were tourists coming from Thailand after they were intercepted as they got off a flight from France.
A 23-year-old British woman in Ghana was arrested last week after being accused of attempting to bring up to 18kg of cannabis into the UK on a May 18 British Airways flight to Gatwick.
Bella May Culley, 18, sparked a massive international search operation in early May after she was reported missing while she was believed to be holidaying in Thailand.
However, it was later revealed that the teen, from Billingham, County Durham, had been arrested 4,000 miles away on drug offences in Georgia, allegedly carrying 14kg of cannabis into the ex-Soviet nation.
And recently 21-year-old Charlotte Lee May, from Coulsdon, south London, was arrested in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo after police discovered 46kg of 'Kush' - a synthetic strain of cannabis - in her suitcase.
The former flight attendant, facing up to 25 years in prison if convicted, is claiming she had 'no idea' about the drugs worth up to £1.2 million and insisting they must have been planted in her luggage without her knowledge.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Hero police officer reveals his fears after being sacked for tackling knife-wielding teenager
An award-winning police officer who was sacked for a 'lack of respect' after arresting a knife-carrying teenager has claimed the saga has left him worrying about whether he can 'pay his mortgage'. The shocking footage shows how PC Lorne Castle grabbed the 15-year-old boy, who was suspected of assault, and pushed him into a wall before slamming him into the ground and proceeding to place his hand over the youth's face while shouting threats and curse words. During the commotion a Stanley-type knife fell out of the teenager's waistband. PC Castle, 46, was dismissed from Dorset Police over the Bournemouth arrest, sparking a wave of criticism as it emerged the teen was suspected of assaulting two people including an elderly gentlemen. He has now lifted the lid on a nightmare 16 months which he said 'could have broken him'. The police officer told GB News: 'I came into police nine or 10 years ago. Prior to that, I was in the sports industry, went to Bournemouth University where I did law. 'I've had a confident life and am happy and get on with people. The last year and a half, when they've put me on restricted duties, I'm not allowed face-to-face contact with people. 'I'm isolated. I don't know whether I'm going to be able to pay the mortgage and bring money home until I see how this goes.' He added that he has been helped out by a strong support group as he waits to see if he is entitled to an appeal. 'I've really held it together. Especially the days of the hearing which were horrendous, and I'm quite a strong, confident character, it could've broken me. 'But I've had really strong support. It is a really hard job and that's why I'm here, not just for me but for everyone that wears that uniform and goes out and does the right job. I'm hoping that some good comes of this even if I don't get any job back or anything.' PC Castle also gave an insight into what was going through his head during the incident, which resulted in him being found guilty of gross misconduct. 'My intent was to arrest a potentially violent suspect without injuries,' he said. 'He was arrested, no injuries and no complaint, and a knife was removed from the street. 'It's not a nice situation for anyone to be officers have been in that situation and that's why I am here now. Any mistake, pause or hesitation can have dramatic results. 'My intention was good and that's why I have maintained my innocence, because I know my own mindset. 'If I know it can be analysed like a sport, armchair critiquing, some time down the line, it's gonna make you pause. Whether that's good or bad it needs to be looked at.' The officer (pictured) was dismissed after he was accused of showing a lack of courtesy and respect to a knife-carrying teenager he arrested for assault He said on Tuesday that he has been helped out by a strong support group as he waits to see if he is entitled to an appeal It comes after Dorset Police released the full bodycam footage from PC Castle's partner on the stop, allowing the public to judge the chaotic episode for themselves. Following the arrest PC Castle's colleagues reported concerns about his conduct to senior officers, prompting a 16-month investigation and gross misconduct proceedings. A misconduct panel last week found PC Castle made the boy feel 'frightened and intimidated' and showed him a 'lack of courtesy and respect' during the arrest in January last year. The officer admitted that he 'lost control' during the arrest and tearfully apologised for his 'out of character' actions at a police disciplinary hearing. The panel, led by Wiltshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Deborah Smith, found him guilty of gross misconduct. They said he failed to act with self-control, did not treat the boy with courtesy or respect and that his 'shouting, swearing, finger pointing, taking hold of the boy's face suggested use of leg restraints was not necessary, reasonable or proportionate'. It was alleged the officer also grabbed the boy's throat but this was not proven. PC Castle was dismissed without notice and barred from serving again. The bodycam footage showed how PC Castle was the first out of the patrol car before putting the boy to the wall and then pushing him to the ground while shouting: 'You're under arrest'. While on top of the teenager on the ground, he then shouted: 'Get on the ground. Get down. Get down. 'Show me your f***ing hands, now. Put your f***ing hands behind your [back].' The teen, who is clearly distressed, screams and told PC Castle 'I can't' - as the officer is on top of him. PC Castle's female colleague can then by heard trying to intervene to de-escalate the situation, but Castle would not be stopped. While pointing his finger into the teen's face, he yelled: 'Right, listen, stop screaming like a little b****. Do you understand that? Shut up.' He continues: 'Roll over. Right, you try resisting again, do you understand? Right, shut up. 'If you try resisting one more time - right get your f***ing hands behind your back, do you understand? 'One hand at a time! One hand at a time. Stop screaming.' Speaking into his radio PC Castle then asks for another unit to be sent over because the suspect is 'being a little b****.' He then begins yelling at the boy again, while still on top of him on the ground, and pointing into his face. 'Right, stop resisting or I'm going to smash you. Do you understand? Put your hands behind your back.' PC Castle then tells members of the public who are watching on: 'Move back, now.' He places his hands on top of the boy's face, prompting him to cry out in what appears to be pain. He shouts: 'You are under arrest at the moment on suspicion of assault. Right do not move.' It is just 90 seconds after PC Castle opened the car door. Throughout the arrest, the 15-year-old could be heard screaming and shouting 'what have I done wrong?'. At one point he starts crying and appears to be struggling to draw breath. PC Castle (right) won an award for saving a person from drowning, as well as previously being named Neighbourhood Police Officer of the Year On the day of the arrest, the panel heard that the boy was suspected of assaulting an elderly man while riding an e-scooter before getting embroiled in a fracas with another youth outside McDonalds. PC Castle, who has twice won a national bravery award including one for saving an elderly woman from drowning in a swollen river in 2023, spotted the suspect walking up Richmond Hill in Bournemouth before the stop. His colleague attempted to step in to calm the situation several times but was all but ignored by PC Castle, video footage shows. Giving evidence, PC Castle said he became 'overwhelmed and scared' when the boy resisted as his mind flashed back to his arrest of a county lines drug dealer 18 months earlier which led him fearing for his life. As the officer struggled with the dealer, his associate who was stood behind was being told to 'cut him' - before an off-duty officer intervened to defend him. PC Castle admitted he had overstepped the mark with his language and aggression and broke down in tears as he said: 'I'm embarrassed by the video and I apologise for my actions. 'Anyone who knows me in public or private life knows that is not how I behave. When he started screaming and resisting I panicked and became overwhelmed. 'I did not choke the suspect and I did not get him in a headlock. I was trying to keep his head still with the palm of my hand so he did not hit his head. 'I did not put my full weight on him as my knees were on the concrete. I only applied enough weight to keep his body still. 'During the arrest I saw the knife fall out of his waistband so he was arrested for a knife offence. I think the arrest needed to be made but I lost control of the situation.' Mark Ley Morgan, representing Dorset Police at the hearing, said the knife was not relevant as PC Castle did not know the boy had it when making the arrest. Mr Morgan said: 'PC Castle breached standards of professional behaviour by failing to act with self control and failing to treat him with courtesy or respect. 'He abused his power and authority and his behaviour undermined confidence in the police. 'It was totally unnecessary and disproportionate, and it is so serious that dismissal would be justified.' 'PC Castle has let the police service and his colleagues down and he does not represent the many hard-working officers and staff of Dorset Police. 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This decision epitomises how they have lost touch with the danger and reality of frontline policing. It is bloody madness. 'Police officers when facing volatile or violent situations will at times swear and use some unsavoury words. 'All arrests involve some form of force and pushing someone even in the face during a struggle is not always intentional and even if it is its part and parcel in many arrests when restraining a suspect. No arrest is without some sort of force. 'I'm sick and tired of officers being disciplined for things like this and I think the majority of the public would think this is absolutely bonkers. 'Many senior officers kowtow to the constant criticism of the police in a sort of appeasement and often throw officers under the bus or to the wolves as sacrificial lambs. Cases like this are more likely to deter people from joining the police.'
Daily Mirror
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Far-right supporter 'killed Muslim neighbour in racially-motivated attack'
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Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Police force releasing video of sacked officer arresting knifeman ‘smacks of desperation'
A police force's decision to release a video showing the arrest of a teenage knifeman by an officer sacked for misconduct 'smacks of desperation', colleagues have said. Former Pc Lorne Castle, 46, can be seen in the footage lawfully tackling the 15-year-old suspect to the ground in Bournemouth after detaining him for two assaults. Castle, a highly experienced and decorated police officer, was sacked last week after being found guilty of gross misconduct. His dismissal led to a public backlash, with former colleagues rushing to defend the officer. On Tuesday, Dorset Police took the unusual decision to release footage of the incident to the public to 'challenge misinformation'. It led the Dorset Police Federation to say the video had been 'carefully selected' and formed only 'part of the case' against Mr Castle. Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: 'I understand the strength of feeling in this case and it is right to be open and transparent about what the independent panel saw, alongside other evidence and testimony. 'We are sharing body-worn video to address concerns about misinformation and to reassure the public that, while tackling crime in Dorset, our officers will continue to be proactive and robust – but by using their powers proportionately and with respect.' In the footage of the arrest, which took place in January last year, Mr Castle sits astride the boy and orders him to 'get your f------ hands behind your back'. He places his hand on the suspect's face for a few seconds before calling him a 'b----'. He then tells him to 'stop resisting or I'm going to smash you up'. Throughout the two-minute video the boy can be heard screaming and yelling: 'What have I done?' and 'I don't want you on me'. Moments later, a Stanley-type craft knife fell out of the boy's waistband. During his misconduct hearing, Mr Castle admitted that his actions during the arrest were 'over the top' and that he was 'embarrassed' by the video, but claimed that it did not amount to gross misconduct. At the time of the arrest, the boy was wanted in connection with an assault on an elderly person on Bournemouth seafront and for being part of a gang attack at a McDonald's restaurant. A large gang fight had occurred in the area a few days before. Two potential suspects from the fight were still at large on the morning that Mr Castle was on patrol with Pc Susannah Justice, and they had been warned about the possible dangers the offenders posed. After the video was released, a spokesman for the Dorset Police Federation said: 'The force has inexplicably chosen to do this without also providing context or balance and in the full knowledge that an appeal by the officer may be pending. 'The reason for the release appears primarily to be an attempt by Dorset Police to manage some of the public criticism the force has received following the decision to dismiss the officer, rather than a genuine desire to properly inform the public. 'As we have previously mentioned, we are extremely concerned about the implications of the outcome of this case to other hard-working front-line officers who in difficult, dynamic and dangerous situations have to use force to protect themselves and the public.' The Federation noted that the clip fails to show the wider context of the arrest and the violence that had plagued the seaside town in the preceding days, adding that it had never suggested that the actions of Mr Castle were without fault. Christopher Amey, a former chief inspector in the force, also pointed out that the clip had been published without any context as to what was going on in the background. 'He had a crowd gathering around him. If you are going to release footage like that, where is the CCTV of the previous incidents to show what this offender was capable of. Where is the context? 'It just smacks of desperation because they realise that trust and confidence in Dorset Police is at an all time low.' In a decade as a constable, Mr Castle was twice commended for saving the lives of members of the public. In one incident in 2023, he put his own safety at risk to rescue a woman from being swept away in a flooded river. In 2021, he was made Dorset Police's officer of the year for his 'outstanding service' and for undertaking every shift 'with the personal commitment to make a difference and do the right thing'. The misconduct panel, led by Wiltshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Deborah Smith, found he failed to act with self-control. It said he did not treat the boy with courtesy or respect and that his 'shouting, swearing, finger pointing and taking hold of the boy's face suggested use of leg restraints was not necessary, reasonable or proportionate'. The panel also concluded, however, that he genuinely believed the 15-year-old, who was hooded and covering his face when Castle spotted him, was a potential escapee and high risk. They also accepted he genuinely thought the boy was resisting arrest and trying to break free and that these beliefs were those of any reasonable officer.
