Bradford Mum Jailed for Using Children in £14M Cocaine Smuggling Ring
A Bradford mother has been jailed for over 13 years after masterminding an international cocaine trafficking ring that used her own children as drug couriers.
Farzana Kauser, 54, was sentenced to 13 years and four months at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, July 18, following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation.
Kauser ran the UK side of a sophisticated drug smuggling operation linked to Mexico and Pakistan. She collaborated with an unidentified associate in Pakistan, referred to only as “Uncle,” to coordinate the movement of high-purity cocaine into the UK.
The criminal scheme involved dispatching Kauser’s children on short trips to Amsterdam or Dublin, booked for one or two nights with no luggage. On return, they would arrive at Birmingham Airport, timing their flights to coincide with inbound flights from Cancun, Mexico, where a corrupt airport insider had placed unaccompanied, cocaine-filled suitcases onto the aircraft.
Upon landing, Kauser’s children would head to the Cancun baggage carousel, armed with photos of the drug-laden suitcases. They retrieved the bags, posing as passengers returning with their own belongings, and walked through customs unchallenged.
The operation had already been successfully executed five times between August and November 2024 before Kauser and her family were caught.
The scheme collapsed on 11 November 2024, when Kauser arrived at Birmingham Airport claiming she was just picking up her children. But her children were actually returning with 180kg of cocaine – with an estimated street value of £14.4 million.
Investigators revealed that part of the shipment was destined for another organised crime group (OCG) courier, while the rest was taken back to Kauser’s home on Waterlily Road in Manningham, before being distributed.
Kauser and six family members were all arrested and charged. She pleaded guilty to importing 180 kilograms of cocaine, while her four eldest children admitted to their roles in the smuggling ring. Her youngest son and daughter-in-law pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an organised crime group.
All were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court, apart from Kauser’s youngest son, who will be sentenced in October.
“She Pushed Her Children into Danger”
Rick Mackenzie, Senior Investigating Officer at the NCA, said:
“To her friends, Farzana Kauser may have seemed like a thoughtful, loving mum – but in reality, she was a seasoned cocaine trafficker. She ran the group with precision, often instructing her children on the best smuggling techniques.”
“She pushed her children into huge danger and destroyed their futures in the process. One of them was just 17 years old when he was roped into this conspiracy.”
Mackenzie added that the Class A drugs Kauser trafficked are linked to violence, addiction, and crime across the UK.
“A Family Conspiracy”
Sarah Ingram, of the Crown Prosecution Service, described the case as “particularly concerning” due to the family nature of the conspiracy.
“This was a well-planned operation to flood the UK with high-purity cocaine worth millions. The defendants thought they had devised a foolproof system, but it was dismantled through vigilance and strong evidence.”
“Thanks to this investigation, a large quantity of drugs has been kept off UK streets, and a dangerous organised crime group has been taken down.”
Kauser’s conviction highlights the increasing sophistication of family-run criminal networks, and the lengths some are willing to go — even using their own children — to profit from the drug trade.
The NCA and CPS have reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling drug supply chains and targeting those responsible for serious organised crime.
