Kimberley Hall, a 29-year-old beautician from Middlesbrough, is set to appear in court later this month, accused of smuggling 43 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Hall was arrested in August last year at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport after Homeland Security investigators discovered around £3.5 million worth of cocaine packed inside two suitcases.
Hall was traveling to Manchester Airport, returning from Mexico, and was about to board a connecting flight home when detained. She now faces serious felony charges that carry a sentence of 15 to 60 years in prison under the US Class X felony statutes.
While on house arrest awaiting trial last November, Hall appeared on ITV’s This Morning, claiming she was coerced into smuggling the drugs after meeting two British men in Portugal who offered her a free trip to Mexico. She alleged these men threatened her at gunpoint.
Her family maintains that “the only thing she’s guilty of is being stupid and naïve.” In February, Hall reportedly attempted to flee the US while on electronic monitoring but was caught trying to book a flight back to the UK. A judge revoked her monitoring tag, sending her to jail.
Hall’s lawyer has stated that she was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while seeking job opportunities in the US and charged with unlawful possession and intent to deliver controlled substances.
Kimberley Hall’s next court date is scheduled for Monday, August 25, as her case continues.
