Bromley man jailed for eight years after admitting smuggling cocaine to pay off boat debt

By Davina Hyde

A man who attempted to smuggle 1.5kg of cocaine from Jamaica to the UK to pay off a £6,000 debt has been jailed for more than eight years.

Clayton Johnson, 52, of Downham Way, Bromley, admitted swallowing 56 packages of cocaine in an attempt to smuggle them into the UK, plus hiding packages in two pairs of shoes.

Johnson said he had intended to sell the drugs to repay a £6,000 debt to a man in Jamaica after he damaged his boat three-and-a-half years ago.

Johnson flew into Gatwick Airport from Jamaica on August 29 where Border Force officers searched his suitcase and found Johnson to have concealed cocaine within two pairs of shoes.

He was arrested for importing Class A drugs and a body scan revealed the packages inside his stomach.

When questioned, Johnson admitted that he had arranged for packets of cocaine to be concealed in the soles of two pairs of shoes, that he’d swallowed a further 56 packages and stuffed four more in his rectum.

Johnson also admitted to previously attempting to smuggle cocaine from Jamaica to the UK in 2012. On that occasion he swallowed packages of cocaine, but fell ill and was admitted to hospital where the packages were recovered.

Andy Noyes, Branch Commander, NCA said:  “This was not the first time that Clayton Johnson had attempted to smuggle cocaine into our country, and his sentence reflects his repeated efforts to break the law for financial gain.

“Swallowing these powerful drugs was incredibly dangerous, and could have caused great harm to Johnson; or if his venture had succeeded, to members of the public”

“By removing this cocaine from the market, the NCA and Border Force have prevented it from ending up on UK streets, where class A drugs fuel violence and exploitation.

“We continue to work with partners to target and disrupt organised crime groups, and protect the public”