Not worth the risk – prison warning for passengers flying to UK after rise in cannabis arrests

The National Crime Agency is warning travellers coming to the UK from Thailand, Canada and the US that they could face a prison sentence if they are caught bringing cannabis into the country, following a huge increase in arrests.

So far this year, 378 people have been arrested in connection with investigations into cannabis smuggling by airline passengers.

An estimated 15 tonnes of cannabis were found and seized at UK airports during the same period – around three times more than in the whole of 2023, when around 5 tonnes of cannabis were seized and 136 people were arrested.

The total for 2024 is a staggering increase from the two hundred thousand euros seized in 2022.

More than half of those arrested in 2,023 (71) had flown in from US airports, 24 from Thailand and 24 from Canada.

About half of all arrests (184) this year involved cannabis originating from Thailand, while 75 arrests involved cannabis originating from Canada and 47 involved cannabis originating from the US.

People who travelled as couriers with the drugs reported that their recruiters told them they would only face a fine if they were caught. However, the maximum penalty for importing cannabis into the UK is 14 years in prison.

This year, 196 people have already been convicted and sentenced to sentences totaling almost 188 years.

Passengers were typically found to have between 15 and 40 kilograms of cannabis in their checked baggage.

However, in one case, 51-year-old Spanish national Fernando Mayans Fuster was caught at Manchester Airport with eight suitcases containing 158kg of the drug after arriving on a flight from Los Angeles in May this year. It is believed to be one of the largest passenger seizures of its kind at Manchester Airport.

Mayans Fuster (pictured below) was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on July 19.

On 9 August, 11 British passengers were arrested at Birmingham Airport after a total of 510kg of cannabis was found in 28 suitcases. All passengers had travelled from Thailand and were connecting through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. They have been bailed until 9 November pending further investigation by the NCA. It is believed that their cases are linked.

In some cases, officers have found electronic trackers with drugs, which are believed to have been placed in the drug dealership by organized criminals to track the illegal cargo.

According to NCA experts, the trend is being fuelled by organised crime gangs who have access to cannabis grown abroad in places where it is legal. They are recruiting couriers to transport the cannabis to the UK, where they can make a higher profit than if they were to grow the drugs themselves.

The NCA continues to work with law enforcement partners in the UK and internationally to target high-risk routes, seize drug shipments and disrupt the criminal gangs involved, preventing them from making a profit.

James Babbage, Director General of the NCA’s Threats Unit, 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 criminal 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.

“The NCA is actively working with partners such as Border Force here in the UK and law enforcement internationally to target those involved in drug supply, including the networks behind it. Targeting those smugglers who play a critical role in the supply chain is one way in which we can do that.”

“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.”

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Seema Malhotra said: “Illegal drugs harm communities and fuel criminal gangs. We will not tolerate people trying to bring them into our country.

“Our Border Patrol agents are committed to detecting and seizing cannabis and other illegal drugs. Last year, Border Patrol seized a record amount of cannabis.

“Anyone caught bringing cannabis into the UK will face the full force of the law, and Border Force will continue to work tirelessly with the NCA to keep illegal substances off our streets.”

Anyone with information about drug smuggling through UK ports is urged to report it, anonymously if desired, by calling the Border Force Customs line on 0800 595 000.

August 28, 2024