Two glamourous drug mules were caught with more than £160,000 worth of cannabis concealed in their suitcases as they landed back on UK soil from a trip to New York. 

Sophie Bannister and Levi-April Whalley, both 30, from Blackburn, told border officials they had been on a three-day shopping spree in the Big Apple. 

But when the pair were stopped at Birmingham International Airport on December 9, 2023, authorities found 35kg of the Class B drug hidden in their luggage.  

Text messages between Bannister and Whalley later revealed that the pair had become involved in a lucrative plot to import cannabis into the UK. 

Both initially women said they had packed their own cases and knew it was illegal to bring drugs into the country.

However when their luggage was checked, officers found 34 sealed packages of cannabis in Bannister’s case and a further 39 packages in Whalley’s luggage. 

The drugs in Bannister’s suitcase had an estimated street value of £40,500 and Whalley’s were estimated at £121,500. 

Whalley, a nurse who has since been suspended from practice, told officials she believed the packages contained watches.

Two glamourous drug mules were caught with more than £160,000 worth of cannabis concealed in their suitcases (Pictured: Levi-April Whalley)

Two glamourous drug mules were caught with more than £160,000 worth of cannabis concealed in their suitcases (Pictured: Levi-April Whalley)

Sophie Bannister (pictured) and Levi-April Whalley, both 30 from Blackburn, told border officials they had been on a three-day shopping spree in the Big Apple

Sophie Bannister (pictured) and Levi-April Whalley, both 30 from Blackburn, told border officials they had been on a three-day shopping spree in the Big Apple

The drugs in Bannister's suitcase had an estimated street value of £40,500 and Whalley's were estimated at £121,500

The drugs in Bannister’s suitcase had an estimated street value of £40,500 and Whalley’s were estimated at £121,500

However both women later pleaded guilty to fraudulent evasion of a prohibition and appeared at Preston Crown Court today to be sentenced.

The court heard both women were vulnerable to exploitation due to their own personal and financial circumstances. 

Since their arrest, neither has committed any other offences and Whalley has become a mother to a young baby, the court heard. 

Judge Richard Archer, sentencing, said: ‘You were both aware that having travelled from New York to Birmingham via Paris that you had in your respective suitcases a significant quantity of heat sealed bags, containing 35.5kg of cannabis.

‘This was not your cannabis but cannabis you were carrying on behalf of another but you were expecting significant financial advantage for doing what you did. 

‘You discussed it in relation to this particular trip to New York, with a clear view of the money you were going to make from behaving this way.

‘You perhaps had little regard to the seriousness or consequences of your offending. It must have been in the back of your mind that you would be caught but you probably thought very little about sitting in the dock this afternoon.

‘I very much hope that you don’t involve yourselves in this behaviour again.’

He sentenced Bannister to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months with 30 days of rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work. 

Text messages between Bannister (pictured) and Whalley later revealed that the pair had become involved in a lucrative plot to import cannabis into the UK

Text messages between Bannister (pictured) and Whalley later revealed that the pair had become involved in a lucrative plot to import cannabis into the UK

Officers found 34 sealed packages of cannabis in Bannister's case and a further 39 packages in Whalley's luggage

Officers found 34 sealed packages of cannabis in Bannister’s case and a further 39 packages in Whalley’s luggage

Since their arrest, neither has committed any other offences and Whalley (pictured) has become a mother to a young baby, the court heard

Since their arrest, neither has committed any other offences and Whalley (pictured) has become a mother to a young baby, the court heard

Whalley was handed a 16-month sentence suspended for 18 months, with 10 days rehabilitation and 80 hours of unpaid work.

Taking to social media after walking free from the dock, Bannister said: ‘Thank you for the people who have stood by us [during] truly the most mentally and emotionally challenging times of our life. 

’15 months of torture. HUGE lessons learnt. A LOT of tears along the way. But stood by each others side no matter what.

‘A true friendship which will never be broken which was proven today holding hands not knowing the outcome. 

‘Finally some closure and moving forward with our life. Ready for the biggest fresh start and realising how important freedom really is. Levi Whalley no matter what people have said we really have an unbreakable friendship.’

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