Three Birmingham men charged with drug smuggling in Jamaica - including a retired nurse

A retired West Bromwich nurse and two other men from Erdington in Birmingham are due to appear in court in Jamaica over their alleged involvement in attempting to smuggle drugs on a flight to the UK, according to Jamaican media.

Loran Bartley, a 59-year-old retired nurse from West Bromich; 37-year-old Luke Bradly, a construction director of Erdington, and Burthland Hodges, 49, of Erdington, were arrested on May 6 at Sangster International Airport in St James.

They were allegedly attempting to smuggle $58 million worth of cocaine on a flight to Birmingham from the Sangster International Airport in St James. The three men were arrested on the same day in three different incidents.

Luke Bradly was arrested around 1.45pm while trying to board a flight to Birmingham. Cocaine weighing approximately five kilograms was found concealed in his luggage, the police told the Jamaica Gleaner.

The same day, around 4:20 pm, Loran Bartley was arrested while attempting to board another flight to Birmingham. He was allegedly caught with cocaine also weighing approximately five kilograms which was concealed in his luggage.

Burthland Hodges, who is believed to be a co-conspirator with Bartley was later arrested in St Ann. Hodges was reportedly the organiser for the drugs found with Bradly.

The Jamaican police have claimed that Hodges used to source cocaine locally to pass on to carriers. Bartley and Bradly were charged with possession of, dealing in and attempting to export cocaine as well as conspiracy to export cocaine.

Hodges was charged jointly with Bradly with conspiracy to export cocaine. The three men were charged on May 10 and are scheduled to appear before the St James Parish Court on Wednesday (May 17).