BA steward held over cocaine haul

A British Airways steward has been arrested after allegedly smuggling nearly £400,000-worth of cocaine into the country.

The cabin crew employee was taken into custody by Customs officers and police after arriving at Gatwick, following a morning flight from Kingston, Jamaica. Officers seized more than six kilos of the drug, with an estimated street value of £372,000.

Customs and police have refused to comment on whether the steward was male or female or give details of the employee's age and nationality. They confirmed that someone had been arrested but added that no one had yet been charged.

A Customs and Excise spokeswoman said: "We're not prepared to give details of anything which would identify the cabin crew member who is being held in custody at Gatwick while further inquiries are made."

A spokesman for BA said: "We can confirm a member of our cabin crew was arrested by Customs Excise at Gatwick and that arrest was in connection with an alleged possession of drugs."

The arrest comes amid widespread concerns among immigration authorities over the rising levels of drug trafficking through Britain's airports, particularly from Jamaica.

British officials have been in close contact with Jamaican customs about ways to combat the problem. The usual method sees traffickers, or "mules", paid to swallow drugs in condoms.