Châteauguay senior jailed in U.K. after smuggling cocaine inside mobility scooter
Posted September 8, 2025 8:51 pm.
Last Updated September 9, 2025 3:20 pm.
A Châteauguay senior was jailed in the U.K. for attempting to smuggle cocaine in a mobility scooter, British authorities say.
Ronald Lord, 71, was sentenced to six years in jail by a judge at Croydon Crown Court near London, last Friday, after he pleaded guilty to carrying eight kilograms of cocaine hidden in the seat back panel of the scooter last month.
“He obviously thought that because he was a pensioner he would be less of a target for law enforcement. He was wrong, and I hope this case sends out a message to anyone who would consider doing the same,” said Richard Wickham, senior investigator in the case.
In a press release, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said Lord was stopped at Gatwick Airport in London, last February, after the border agents X-rayed his scooter and found the drugs estimated to be worth over $1 million in street value. His passport had a Châteauguay address.
He told authorities he was visiting the U.K. for tourism after a week-long trip to Barbados and denied any knowledge of the drugs.
When a screw from the panel of the scooter was found in his clothing, authorities continued investigating and discovered from the airlines that Lord had also lied about the length of his stay in Barbados.
Lord pleaded guilty to “class A smuggling charges” at a hearing in August, according to NCA’s statement.
“Organised crime groups need smugglers like Lord to bring class A drugs into the U.K., where they are sold for huge profit by gangs who deal in violence and exploitation,” Wickham said.
