Couple kiss and hug in court after 'honeymoon' comes to an abrupt end at Manchester Airport

Jeng Chow and Ley Wat have been jailed

A couple who said they were travelling for their 'honeymoon' ended up in jail after their luggage was opened at Manchester Airport.

Jeng Chow, 30, and Ley Wat, 25, were recruited to act as drug mules. Both their suitcases were stuffed full of cannabis. The couple, understood to be engaged, travelled to Manchester from their native Malaysia.

Wat was in debt and was in contact with smugglers. The pair were given drugs to transport and promised cash following a successful handover.

But the couple was caught on arrival at Terminal 2. They sat in the dock, side by side, at a sentencing hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court. At one point, they shared a hug and a kiss.

They were jailed and will be deported back to Malaysia once their sentences have been completed. Prosecuting, Isobel Thomas earlier told the court the pair arrived in Manchester on April 16 having flown from Malaysia via Qatar.

After being stopped by Border Force officers, Chow said he and Wat were married and had travelled to the UK for their honeymoon.

Their suitcases were opened and both had 28 vacuum-sealed packages of cannabis. The drugs were worth £99,000 at wholesale prices, but the street value would have been 'much higher', the court heard.

Chow and Wat were taken to Pendleton police station and interviewed. Chow answered 'no comment' to questions. Wat told officers she thought her suitcase contained alcohol.

Wat said she and Chow were in contact with a third party and that someone was going to pick up the drugs at the airport in exchange for money. Neither Chow or Wat have previous criminal convictions.

Defending Chow, Mark Shanks said he was in legitimate employment back at home, but that he became a drug mule through Wat. Mr Shanks said the couple were due to be paid £800 each.

He said Chow has a supportive family back home and that he wants to return to as soon as possible. Richard Vardon, defending Wat, said she agreed to become involved after getting into debt.

“She has paid a high price for that," he added. Prison has been a 'big shock to her system', Mr Vardon said, adding that she desperately wants to return home to her family.

Chow and Wat both pleaded guilty to one count of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug.

They were both sentenced to a year and three months by judge Recorder Sarah Holt.