- Daniella KanKam-Adu, 19, caught smuggling £225K worth of cannabis into the UK
- She claimed she thought she was carrying vapes for £250 payment
- She pleaded guilty; prosecutors accepted her limited role
A 19-year-old pregnant woman who attempted to smuggle 22.5kg of cannabis into the UK has avoided a prison sentence after claiming she needed the money for a housing deposit.
Daniella KanKam-Adu, from Queens Road, London, was offered £250 to bring the drugs—valued at £225,000 on the street—from Canada to Newcastle Airport on March 3. She claimed she believed the luggage she was carrying contained vapes.
Upon arrival, Border Force officers flagged her for a random check. When asked if she packed her own bags, KanKam-Adu confirmed she had and denied there was anything suspicious inside. However, when asked to unlock one of her bags, she said she didn’t have the key and became uncooperative as officers prepared to force it open.
Inside, they discovered 22.5kg of cannabis—estimated at £67,500 wholesale and worth £225,000 at street level.
She later pleaded guilty to attempting to evade a ban on importing cannabis. Prosecutors accepted her version of events, in which a friend had convinced her she was transporting untaxed vapes in exchange for £250. She admitted realizing the bag likely contained drugs due to its size and weight but proceeded with the trip due to financial desperation.
Her defense lawyer, Glenn Gatland, told Newcastle Crown Court that KanKam-Adu had a troubled upbringing and spent time in care. He said she recently learned she was pregnant and was determined to provide a better life for her child. Her decision, he argued, was born out of naivety and the need for money for a housing deposit.
During her three months on remand, KanKam-Adu suffered a miscarriage. Gatland noted that the time already spent in custody would act as a strong deterrent against future offenses.
