Mum of British Beautician Accused of Smuggling £3.5m of Cocaine Believes She Is Innocent

The mother of British beautician Kim Hall, who is awaiting trial for allegedly attempting to smuggle £3.5 million worth of cocaine into the US, insists her daughter is innocent and will be released from prison. Hall, 28, from Middlesbrough, was arrested at Chicago’s O’Hare airport after Homeland Security officers claimed she was carrying two suitcases filled with 43kg of cocaine, which she had allegedly collected in Mexico.

Hall, currently held at Cook County Jail in Illinois, has maintained her innocence, stating that she believed the suitcases contained cash from real estate deals. She claims she was unaware of the true contents of the cases. Cook County Jail, one of the largest prisons in the US, is notorious for its harsh conditions and its history of holding infamous criminals, including 1920s gangster Al Capone and serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

Her mother, Tracy, 58, expressed her unwavering belief in her daughter’s innocence, telling MailOnline: “The truth will come out, we are certain that Kim will be able to tell the real story in time.” Tracy, along with Hall’s sister Stephanie, has been anxiously awaiting updates, describing the ordeal as “horrendous” for the family.

Hall’s friends and family are particularly concerned for her safety in the prison, where 18 people died in 2023 alone, according to Injustice Watch. This death toll is the highest reported at the facility in a decade. A family friend shared their fears: “Everyone is beside themselves with worry over Kim’s safety in that prison. The thought of that sweet, shy, timid girl locked up in a place like that is unbearable.”

Describing Hall as a hardworking woman who runs her own business, the friend added: “No one could believe it when word got out that Kim had been arrested on drugs charges. You couldn’t have picked a person less likely to be involved in something like that.” Hall, who has never had trouble with the law, is said to be extremely close to her family and prefers to stay close to home. “She worships her mum and dad and is very close to them,” the friend said, adding that Hall must be struggling, “stuck so far away at the other side of the world.”

According to US Customs and Border Protection, large quantities of cocaine are smuggled into the country every year, with drug enforcement officers seizing 442,706kg in 2021 and 318,875kg in 2022.