A British Airways steward was arrested just moments before take-off in Brazil while trying to smuggle £1.5million of cocaine into Britain.
The 43-year-old steward, Jean-Paul Ogou was about to board a flight from Sao Paulo to London when officers discovered 2st (13kg) of the drug in his carry on bag.
He attempted to walk past security without passing his hold-all through the x-ray machine reserved for flight crew, but he was reportedly spotted by police at the airport in Brazil, and they found pure cocaine inside stashed in plastic bags and pillowcases.
The cocaine haul and scales weighing in the haul at 12.983kg.
Mr. Ogou is said to have flown for British Airways for ten years and have family links to the Ivory Coast.
Sun UK reported that that Airline bosses have dismissed Mr. Ogou from the company as he was locked up in a Brazilian jail where he is awaiting charges.
An insider told The Sun:
‘Anyone buying that amount of cocaine will need to fork out around £150,000.
‘The thinking is the money was smuggled out of the country to Brazil on a BA flight in hard cash.
‘Once cut, and sold for £50 or £60 a gram, this amount of drugs has a UK street value of around £1.5million.’
Ex-Flying Squad chief Supt Barry Phillips said: ‘
The quantity indicates the involvement of organised crime. British Airways said Mr. Ogou ‘no longer works for the airline.’