There are a number of ways smugglers will attempt to move drugs into a market and in the process, innocent people can be hurt. In a recent Sky News report, the tale of a tragedy as a result of drug smuggling is one not often seen.

A chain of events was perfectly orchestrated to ensure that Lascell Malcolm lost his life. The man died as a result of a cocaine overdose, yet he didn’t know he was ingesting the drug. In fact, he was given a bottle of rum as a gift, yet the bottle’s contents were not rum, but instead liquid cocaine.

Martin Newman is the defendant in this case as authorities accused him of drug smuggling and committing gross negligence when he imported the cocaine that is responsible for Malcolm’s death.

According to authorities, Newman mislead three fellow-travellers into carrying three bottles of Bounty Rum on a flight from St. Lucia to Gatwick last year. Each of the bottles was laced with a kilo of cocaine, worth a substantial amount on the street. When the travellers arrived at Gatwick, a mix-up appeared to lead to Malcolm’s ultimate death.

When one of the three passengers got out at the other end in Gatwick, he could not find Newman and passed the bottle to a fellow traveller. She in turn gave it to Malcolm – her taxi driver and friend. Malcolm refused to charge her for the ride and the bottle of rum was considered a gift.

The mixture was never intended to be drunk – especially as one would a glass of rum. Authorities note that one teaspoon would have been enough to cause an overdose. Malcolm’s last gulp from the bottle caused a fatal heart attack.