Lagos, Nigeria - A Nigerian air hostess on Tuesday appeared before Uxbridge Magistrates on allegations of attempting to smuggle four kilos of cocaine into the UK through Heathrow Airport, a statement from the British High Commission in Abuja, made available to PANA here, said. 

'The Nigerian national, Chinwendu Uwakaonyenma Ogbonnaya, 30, was arrested on Sunday, 18 December, following the discovery of the drugs in an item of luggage.

'She had arrived into Heathrow Terminal 4, having traveled on an Arik Air flight from  Lagos in Nigeria,' said the statement.

Ogbonnaya is a hostess with one of Nigerian airline operators.

Reacting to the incident, Marc Owen, director of UK Border Agency operations at Heathrow, expressed the determination of the agency to work around the clock, 365 days in a year, to keep drugs and other banned substances out of UK.

“We are determined to prevent this terrible trade which can have such a destructive impact  on the lives of so many,' Owen said.

Pana 20/12/2011