A 19-year-old pregnant woman who attempted to smuggle over 22 kilograms of cannabis into the UK has been spared jail after telling the court she needed money to secure a home.

Daniella KanKam-Adu, from Queens Road, London, was caught with the drugs in her luggage after arriving at Newcastle Airport from Canada on March 3, 2024. She claimed she believed the bag contained vape products and agreed to the job for just £250 to help pay for a housing deposit.

Border Force officers flagged her for a random search, during which her demeanor changed when she was told the locks on her suitcase would be broken open. Inside, officials discovered 22.5 kilograms of cannabis — with an estimated street value of £225,000.

Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw told Newcastle Crown Court that KanKam-Adu initially denied any wrongdoing, claiming there was nothing suspicious in her luggage and insisting she packed it herself.

She later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of cannabis. Prosecutors accepted her version of events that a friend had offered her a way to make easy money by bringing vapes into the UK without tax, and that she was unaware of the true contents of her suitcase until after receiving it in Toronto.

Realizing the suitcase likely contained cannabis due to its weight, KanKam-Adu admitted she continued with the trip out of financial desperation.

Her lawyer, Glenn Gatland, told the court she had endured a troubled upbringing, spending time in foster care. Recently discovering she was pregnant, KanKam-Adu wanted a better life for her child and saw the offer as a way to secure housing.

While in custody for three months awaiting trial, she suffered a miscarriage — an experience her defense argued was deeply traumatic and served as a wake-up call.

“This has been a significant and painful lesson for her,” Mr. Gatland said. “She is remorseful, and her time on remand has already had a profound impact.”

Taking these factors into account, the judge sentenced KanKam-Adu to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, allowing her to remain in the community under supervision rather than serve additional jail time.