Cab driver Lascell Malcolm, 63, died of a heart attack after swigging from a bottle of rum given to him as payment for a fare

10:18 63 , Cab driver Lascell Malcolm , died of a heart attack after swigging from a bottle of rum given to him as payment for a fare - unaware that it contained liquid cocaine 0 Comments

Cab driver Lascell Malcolm, 63, died of a heart attack after swigging from a bottle of rum given to him as payment for a fare - unaware that it contained liquid cocaine, The Sun reported.Police said it was one of five Bounty rum bottles - containing more than 250g of cocaine - given to unsuspecting people flying from St Lucia to the UK last May by drug baron Martin Newman, 49.asked Martin Lawrence to carry two, saying he was over his baggage limit. He agreed to give them back in arrivals in Britain.After landing, Newman was delayed by a baggage search.
Customs officers found he had £4,000 in cash but let him go. Meanwhile Mr Lawrence couldn't wait as he had to catch a flight to his Swiss home. He gave a bottle to friend, Antoinette Corlis.She was picked up at the airport by her friend, Mr Malcolm. The minicab driver refused payment so she gave him the "rum". The father-of-two died the next day.His nephew and a friend visited his house in Haringey, North London, to pay their respects and had a drink of rum as a toast. They noticed it tasted bad and were rushed to hospital. Both survived.Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow told South London's Croydon Crown Court: "A spoonful could kill anyone."Police traced the other bottles in the £100,000 (US$152,710) haul.Newman has denied charges of manslaughter and importing drugs. The case continues.