A Brockley woman who tried to smuggle nearly £50,000 worth of cocaine into the UK by swallowing packages of the drug has been jailed.

Border Force officers at Gatwick Airport arrested Estelle Brett, aged 20, of Wickham Road, on January 14 as she arrived back into the UK on a flight from St Lucia.

Swab tests on her luggage had produced a high positive reaction for cocaine. She refused to undergo an x-ray, but admitted swallowing packages of drugs.

A number of packages containing high-purity cocaine were later recovered - some swallowed, others concealed internally.

Forensic checks revealed that if cut and sold in the UK the cocaine would have had a street value of around £47,000.

Brett pleaded guilty to drug importation charges at a hearing at Croydon Crown Court and was sentenced on March 5 to 32 months in prison.

Border Force South regional director Carole Upshall said: "This case shows the lengths smugglers will go to in their attempts to bring class A drugs into the UK. Those who swallow packages like this are effectively risking their own lives."

Anyone with information about smuggling should call 0800 59 5000.