Does she think the public are that stupid?

[MouseMate]

This is one of the first articles on Paul and Laura Makin - the British drug smugglers caught in Venezula

Times Online

In it Laura Makin reckons that she knew nothing about the smuggling

"I thought it might be a nice holiday,? Ms Makin, 31, said, emphasising that the two were no longer a couple and that she had a boyfriend back in England. ?I?ve never travelled before and he has, so I let him take care of everything,? she added"

Ms Makin maintains that the first she knew of these dealings was when they were hauled into a side room at the airport and bags of white powder were pulled from the bottom of their cases, in full view of the four children.

So she goes on holiday with her Ex husband and 4 children, to a place she's never been before (and is really expensive), her husband appears with 3 new suitcases, that presumably she has to pack, but she doesnt know what he is doing......WTF?

?I just want to see my kids,? she said, tears filling her reddened eyes. Mr Makin too began to cry. - Well sorry love, but maybe you should have thought about the kids before you went on this escapade

Does she relly think people will believe her?

Its very sad for all those involved.Have the kids been released to their grandparents yet, or are they still in foster care in Venezuela?

I know, makes me laugh out loud! Because Venezuela is exactly the location you'd choose for a bucket and spade holiday with the kids and your ex!

Nobody is going to believe that story. She really needs to come up with something a bit more credible.

Feel very sorry for the DCs as they will probably be grown up by the time their tow numpty parents have finished their sentences.

"Mr Makin, who was on bail at the time of his trip awaiting trial for allegedly attacking a man with a machete"

Lovely chap......

5, Sky says they are still there at the moment. Oldest 2 are from here previous marriage, youngest from this one. Looks like Ex Ex Husband is going to take custody of them all (good on him).

She could get 10 years - what the hell was she thinking? I cannot imagine thinking that little of my children that I could put them through something like this.......quick bucks obviously, just like when they went on JK.

Maybe you are, but if that's true she definately is!

See Dittany, I dont. If this was you, wouldnt you start questioning why you suddenly needed to use 3 new suitcases? Wouldn't you have asked for all the details of the holiday (even if just to give to your boyfriend / Ex Ex in case something happened to the kids)? What about the weight of those supposedly empty new suitcases, 53Kg is bloody heavy.....

She would have to be really really thick I think....

They both come across as exceptionally stupid imo. My sympathy is limited however by the thought of what damage 53lb of cocaine can do.

Why would you go on holiday with your angry convicted violent criminal ex - to South America?? I mean - what did she think was going to happen?

I don't she knew exactly what was going on...she was obviouly there with the kids to make him look less suspicous. She couldn't resist a nice holiday if it meant nothing more than turning a blind eye.

The article says that the suitcases were supplied whilst on the holiday......

"Halfway through their holiday in Margarita, the deal changed, Mr Makin said. Their British contact, who had also travelled to the island and was staying in the same hotel, rang to say that he had already collected the diamonds and would pack them for the Makins. The contact gave Mr Makin three suitcases, with the ?diamonds? already stashed beneath the false bottoms"

So he'd already given her 3 new suitcases to go on the holiday, then gave her another 3....

Sorry though, you were right, it was 53Lb of hard drugs 'diamonds'. But as most airlines give a limit of 22 Lbs, wouldnt you be a bit sus at how heavy your cases has suddenly become?

She could have said "No darling ex, I dont want you to take our 2 yr olds on a 10 hour flight to South America when they have never been out of the country before......if you really need a holiday, how about Spain"

I also question the new boyfriend.....if he didnt know about the drugs diamonds, I am surprised he would have wanted her to go

IF they stay in San An jail (unlikely, we will no doubt fight to get them home) then I doubt they will survive 10 years......its a bloody harsh regime, everything has to be bought (incl food) and she has apparently already been robbed twice.

He will probably fare a little better than her if he can use his fists - she may not have those skills.

Again, why oh why would ANY mother take this sort of risk?

(and frankly I find I care not a jot about stinking drug smugglers.....as long as the kids are OK - poor buggers)

The flight was Thomson First Choice, so yes they could have had 44lbs each, so maybe not as noticeable, but again with the 6 new suitcases, I still think she must have known

Greed, greed, greed. It has completely overidden all common sense I suspect. They are a totally disfunctional family to begin with and most likely as already said her boyfriend was probably aware of the deal too. They live in a deluded reality, where a lottery win is attainable, where easy money is better than grafting and earning your money. Where making a better life for their children is second to their own hedonistic needs. There are so many of these examples of "parents" about, the Shannon Matthews case being one that springs to mind. They think £10,000 is a lot of money, don't get me wrong it is, but no one can retire on it! Total blindness and disregard for the lives they are destroying, not only the children but the grandparents who have to pick up the pieces.

Superglue, hear hear.

Well said superglue.

They seem to have no regard for anyone else other than themselves. Their children just got dragged along on this escapade (a 'nice holiday' FFS!) and as NorthernLurker says, when you think about the evil damage that 53lb of cocaine will do, they obviously don't care what sort of harm is inflicted on others through their actions.

oh of course she knew.

One thing though, if he was on bale for another offence, why the hell was he allowed out of the country?

Jeez what a pair!

So they were on Jeremy Kyle a few years back too... says it all.

Can't see how she'll get much sympathy for her bleating.

I don't buy that thing about just because she is a woman and just because she is a mother, she can't be tempted into crime for the sake of money. Some mothers are criminals. Some care more about a quick buck than about any moral considerations. And some think what they do doesn't matter as long as they don't get caught. Now they have got caught. Tough.