Huge increase in cannabis smuggled into UK airports in suitcases – The Irish News

The amount of cannabis seized from smugglers carrying the drug in suitcases into British airports has tripled in less than a year, officials have revealed.

So far in 2024, about 15 tonnes of the drug have been detected at airports, compared to five tonnes in all of 2023 and two tonnes in 2022.

A total of 136 suspects were arrested in 2023, while 378 suspects have been detained so far this year.

According to officials from the National Crime Agency (NCA), overproduction of the drug in countries where it is legalised, and the potential for greater profits on the UK market, could be behind the rise.

Passengers are being detained with huge amounts of cannabis in their luggage.

A recent example is 51-year-old Spaniard Fernando Mayans Fuster, who was arrested at Manchester Airport in May with eight suitcases containing 158kg of cannabis after flying in from LA.

On 19 July he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

On August 9, another major seizure was made at Birmingham Airport, where 510kg of the drug was found in 28 suitcases shipped from Thailand via Paris.

Eleven passengers were arrested and released on bail until November 9.

This year, about half of those arrested (184) came from Thailand, 75 from Canada and 47 from the US.

There are reports of couriers being paid up to £10,000 per journey but being wrongly told they will be fined if caught.

The maximum penalty for importing cannabis into the UK is 14 years’ imprisonment.

James Babbage, the NCA’s director general for threats, said: “In some cases it is unclear whether the mules knew what the potential penalties were, but in most cases they were operating on behalf of organised crime gangs.

“And it is precisely those couriers who are at risk of a potentially life-changing prison sentence.

“Gangs can make significant profits by illegally selling and smuggling high-quality cannabis grown legally in the US, Canada and Thailand into the UK.

“We would like to appeal to anyone who is approached to participate in smuggling to think very carefully about the possible consequences of their actions and the risks they run.

“We know that organised criminals can be persuasive and are willing to pay couriers, but the chances of getting caught are high and the risk is simply not worth it.”