Montreal Senior Jailed in the UK for Smuggling Cocaine in Mobility Scooter

The UK National Crime Agency say Montreal man Ronald Lord (pictured) was sentenced after attempting to smuggle cocaine into the UK in his mobility scooter. UK National Crime Agency handout photo

A Montreal senior has been sentenced to six years in a UK prison after being caught at a London airport with more than $1 million in cocaine hidden in his mobility scooter, authorities say.

Ronald Lord, 71, was sentenced on Sept. 5 after being stopped at London’s Gatwick airport on Feb. 7, according to a release from the National Crime Agency (NCA), a national law enforcement agency in the United Kingdom.

When questioned by border officials after being stopped at the airport, Lord said he was coming to the UK to sightsee after a 7-day trip to Barbados, according to the NCA release.

Officials x-rayed Lord’s scooter and found 8 kilograms of cocaine stashed in an inside compartment. The drugs were estimated to have a street value of CA$1.1 million.

A Canadian man was sentenced to jail time in the UK after attempting to smuggle cocaine into that country, which was hidden in his mobility scooter. UK National Crime Agency handout photo

NCA said that Lord denied having knowledge about the drugs or how they had gotten there. UK border agents said they found a screw for the compartment panel in his pocket, and later found out he had only been in Barbados for 3 days.

Lord pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges, according to the NCA.

Senior investigating officer Richard Wickham said Lord was likely working for organized crime groups.

“Organised crime groups need smugglers like Lord to bring class A drugs into the UK, where they are sold for huge profit by gangs who deal in violence and exploitation,” Wickham said in the release.

“He obviously thought that because he was a pensioner he would be less of a target for law enforcement. He was wrong, and I hope this case sends out a message to anyone who would consider doing the same.”

NCA said a U.S. citizen was also recently given a prison sentence after attempting to smuggle about $1.5 million in cocaine hidden inside a parmesan cheese wheel.

Jamie Choi, 23, from California was sentenced on Aug. 15 to 5 years and 3 months in a UK prison, NCA said.

Choi had been stopped at London’s Heathrow airport on May 25, where she was questioned her the 8 kilogram cheese wheel she was travelling with.

“Choi told the officers that a friend had suggested she buy the parmesan from Lima, Peru, for them to try,” NCA said.

When officers examined the cheese they found it contained crack cocaine— revealed by subsequent forensic analysis to be 94 per cent pure, NCA said.

NCA senior investigating officer, Barry Vinall, said the agency has seen people trying to smuggle cocaine in “inside all manner of innocuous looking items.”

Vinall said border officers were “well-practiced” in finding drugs despite the disguise.

In May 2024, NCA officers worked with officials from the Netherlands to uncover a drug smuggling operation that saw cocaine hidden inside rolls of artificial grass.