The National Crime Agency (NCA) is issuing a warning to travelers arriving in the UK from Thailand, Canada, and the United States that they could face significant jail time if caught attempting to smuggle cannabis into the country, following a sharp rise in related arrests.
In 2024, 378 people have already been arrested in connection with cannabis smuggling by air passengers. During this period, authorities seized an estimated 15 tonnes of cannabis at UK airports—about three times the amount seized in all of 2023, which saw 5 tonnes confiscated and 136 arrests made. This marks a staggering increase from the 2 tonnes seized in 2022.
In 2023, over half of the 136 arrested had arrived from US airports, with 24 each coming from Thailand and Canada. In 2024, around half of the 378 arrests were linked to cannabis originating in Thailand, 75 were related to cannabis from Canada, and 47 to cannabis from the US. Many couriers reported being misled by their recruiters, who falsely claimed they would face only a fine if caught. However, the UK’s maximum sentence for cannabis importation is up to 14 years in prison. This year, 196 people have already been convicted, receiving sentences totaling nearly 188 years.
Most passengers were found carrying between 15 and 40 kilos of cannabis in their checked luggage. In one of the largest cases, 51-year-old Spanish national Fernando Mayans Fuster was caught at Manchester Airport with eight suitcases containing 158 kilos of cannabis after arriving from Los Angeles in May. He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison on July 19 at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
On August 9, 11 British passengers were arrested at Birmingham Airport after 510 kilos of cannabis was discovered in 28 suitcases. All had traveled from Thailand, with a layover at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. They have been released on bail until November 9, pending further investigation by the NCA, and their cases are believed to be connected.
In some cases, officers found electronic trackers hidden with the drugs, likely placed there by organized criminals to monitor the shipments. NCA experts suggest that this smuggling trend is being driven by organized crime gangs with access to cannabis grown legally in other countries. These gangs recruit couriers to transport the drug to the UK, where it can yield higher profits than growing it domestically.
The NCA continues to collaborate with law enforcement partners in the UK and abroad to target high-risk routes, intercept drug shipments, and disrupt the criminal gangs involved, thereby cutting off their profits. NCA Director General of Threats James Babbage emphasized, “While some couriers may not fully grasp the potential penalties, many are knowingly working for organized criminal gangs. We urge anyone approached to engage in smuggling to carefully consider the severe consequences and risks involved.”
