Woman jailed for cocaine hidden in chocolate wrappers

Friday, 21 November 2025 07:00

Diana Bowmen is starting a five year prison sentence for smuggling two kilos of cocaine into Jersey disguised as large bars of chocolate.

The 26-year-old from London travelled to Jersey from Portsmouth on board the Stena Vinga ferry in June 2025, for what she told officials was a two-day break to relax.

However, Jersey Customs and Immigration Officers became suspicious when they saw the 'unusual' number of large Galaxy chocolate bars she was carrying in her luggage.

She told officers she would be taking them back to the UK to melt down and make a cake with her nieces.

The bars were examined and seven of the 11 were filled with a compressed white powder which tested positive as cocaine.

Paul Le Monnier, Senior Manager at Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, says this was an ingenious method to disguise a significant amount of cocaine and not one that they have seen before.

"It also clearly shows a level of sophistication of those organising this importation, but fortunately, the vigilance of our officers prevented these drugs from reaching our streets."

The bars were analysed and found to consist of 2,121 grams of cocaine with a street value of £261,000.

When Bowmen was arrested and interviewed, she replied 'no comment' throughout.

However, a phone examination showed the 26-year-old had been speaking to someone under the name 'M' about her travel arrangement,

She also sent photos of the chocolate bars to this contact, who advised her to buy more.

Officers discovered that Diana Bowmen had been travelling, almost monthly, to destinations across the world, from Thailand to Istanbul, and Jamaica to Kuwait, since September 2024.

Anyone with information on drug smuggling can report it anonymously via 0800 735 5555.