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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Wren jailed for smuggling cocaine | Wren jailed for smuggling cocaine |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The drugs were collected when HMS Manchester docked in Colombia | The drugs were collected when HMS Manchester docked in Colombia |
| A Royal Navy wren has been jailed for smuggling cocaine into the UK on board a warship which had been on counter-narcotics training. | A Royal Navy wren has been jailed for smuggling cocaine into the UK on board a warship which had been on counter-narcotics training. |
| Teresa Matos, 37, from Gateshead, admitted importing the drugs worth £2m. | Teresa Matos, 37, from Gateshead, admitted importing the drugs worth £2m. |
| The cocaine was found in the lining of Matos's clothing when HMS Manchester arrived in Plymouth, Devon, last August en route to its Portsmouth base. | The cocaine was found in the lining of Matos's clothing when HMS Manchester arrived in Plymouth, Devon, last August en route to its Portsmouth base. |
| Matos was jailed for seven-and-a-half years at Portsmouth Crown Court. Three men from London were also jailed. | Matos was jailed for seven-and-a-half years at Portsmouth Crown Court. Three men from London were also jailed. |
| The Angolan-born steward was granted asylum in Britain in 2004. | The Angolan-born steward was granted asylum in Britain in 2004. |
| Her boyfriend Raul Beia, 39, from Clapham, south-west London, who was also granted asylum to live in the UK, was jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of illegally importing drugs. | Her boyfriend Raul Beia, 39, from Clapham, south-west London, who was also granted asylum to live in the UK, was jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of illegally importing drugs. |
| Abdul Banda, 34, of Ashbourne Road, Ealing, West London, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was jailed for 10-and-a-half years. | Abdul Banda, 34, of Ashbourne Road, Ealing, West London, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was jailed for 10-and-a-half years. |
| The court was told Beia and Banda were the "ringleaders" of the operation, while Matos was a courier and Dean Langley was recruited to receive and distribute the drugs. | The court was told Beia and Banda were the "ringleaders" of the operation, while Matos was a courier and Dean Langley was recruited to receive and distribute the drugs. |
| Twenty-year-old Langley, of Clem Attlee Estate, Fulham, west London, who had denied involvement, was sentenced to 11 years. | Twenty-year-old Langley, of Clem Attlee Estate, Fulham, west London, who had denied involvement, was sentenced to 11 years. |
| The court was told Matos picked up the 4.94kg haul of 100% pure cocaine while HMS Manchester had docked at the port of Cartagena in Colombia, South America, in July last year. | The court was told Matos picked up the 4.94kg haul of 100% pure cocaine while HMS Manchester had docked at the port of Cartagena in Colombia, South America, in July last year. |
| CCTV footage | CCTV footage |
| The destroyer, which had been on a seven-month deployment across the Atlantic and South Pacific, had spent time in Cape Verde for counter-narcotics training with the island's coastguard. | The destroyer, which had been on a seven-month deployment across the Atlantic and South Pacific, had spent time in Cape Verde for counter-narcotics training with the island's coastguard. |
| It had also visited the US, the Falkland Islands, Brazil and Colombia. | It had also visited the US, the Falkland Islands, Brazil and Colombia. |
| Judge Ian Pearson said: "This was a serious importation of a considerable quantity of cocaine. | Judge Ian Pearson said: "This was a serious importation of a considerable quantity of cocaine. |
| "The rewards that were to be made, had you been successful, would have been considerable and the penalties must be considerable as well. | "The rewards that were to be made, had you been successful, would have been considerable and the penalties must be considerable as well. |
| "It goes without saying this offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence of some length may be justified." | "It goes without saying this offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence of some length may be justified." |
| Matos, of Contsworth Court, Gateshead, was arrested in Plymouth while Banda was arrested with Beia and Langley at Portsmouth's Ibis Hotel. | Matos, of Contsworth Court, Gateshead, was arrested in Plymouth while Banda was arrested with Beia and Langley at Portsmouth's Ibis Hotel. |
| The three men had been caught on CCTV purchasing digital scales, plastic boxes and clear food wrap to be used to distribute the drugs. | The three men had been caught on CCTV purchasing digital scales, plastic boxes and clear food wrap to be used to distribute the drugs. |
| Judge Pearson ordered for the drugs and paraphernalia to be confiscated and destroyed. | Judge Pearson ordered for the drugs and paraphernalia to be confiscated and destroyed. |
| Following the sentencing, the Ministry of Defence said criminal behaviour would not be tolerated in the Royal Navy. | |
| "Individuals given custodial sentences are usually discharged from the service," a spokesman said. |