'Woman smuggled £3m of cocaine'

A woman was due to appear in court today charged with attempting to smuggle cocaine worth ? 3 million through Heathrow airport in her luggage.

Christiana Akyeah was arrested on Sunday night after she got off a flight from her home city of Accra, Ghana, with an alleged 50kg of the controlled drug in her bags. Officers allegedly seized the drug in 12 packages in three different suitcases as she walked through the terminal.

A spokesman for Customs and Excise said the 33-year-old was charged last night and was due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates Court today.

The court appearance comes a day after it was revealed visa restrictions will soon be operating on all flights from the Caribbean to Britain in a bid to combat the vast cocaine-smuggling trade.

Home Secretary David Blunkett has taken action after claims that as many as one in 10 passengers flying into London from Jamaica are "mules".

Gun crime, particularly in London, is on the rise as rival "Yardie" groups wage turf wars to fiercely defend their share of the illegal trade.

The Home Office says 795 out of 4,023 women in jail in Britain have been convicted of drug smuggling or are awaiting trial - 311 of those are Jamaican nationals.

However, a Customs and Excise officer said: "This alleged offence just goes to show how cocaine can come from anywhere, not just the Caribbean."