A British man has died after he swallowed several packets of cocaine before his flight to Dubai – which eventually exploded in his stomach.
Jensen Westhead, 20, had ingested multiple bags of the class A drug at a hotel in Manchester in December last year.
He then boarded a to flight to the United Arab Emirates where one of the packages ‘burst in his stomach’ two days later.
The young man, from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, was found dead at the three-star Hotel Avalon in Dubai after the cocaine leaked into his body and caused him to overdose.
Following an investigation, police on Friday arrested and charged four people with conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on exportation of a class A drug.
A member of the group has also been charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Lancaster Police said: ‘On 2nd December 2024, Jensen Westhead swallowed a number of packages of cocaine at a hotel in Manchester before boarding a flight from Manchester Airport, arriving in Dubai on 3rd December 2024.
‘At least one of the packages of cocaine burst in his stomach and he suffered an overdose.
‘Mr Westhead, 20, of Thornton Cleveleys, was sadly found dead at the Hotel Avalon in Dubai on 4th December.
‘Following a complex Lancashire Police investigation four people have today been charged and will appear in court later this month.’
They added: ‘Rebecca Hatch (17/12/1981), of Hatfield Close, Thornton Cleveleys; Glenn Hatch (15/06/1975), also of Hatfield Close, Thornton Cleveleys; Alexander Tofton 30/09/1993), of Tewkesbury Drive, Lytham St Annes and Steven Stephenson (12/12/1988), of St Lawrence, Denton, Manchester, have been charged with Conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on exportation of a class A drug from 21/11/2024 to 04/12/2024.
‘Stephenson has also been charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine. They are all due to appear before Lancaster Magistrates’ Court on October 31st.’
