Hundreds of cannabis smugglers caught at UK customs after passengers told they'll 'face a fine' instead of jail time
28 August 2024, 08:17 | Updated: 28 August 2024, 08:33
Hundreds of cannabis smugglers are being caught trying to smuggle whole suitcases of the drug into Britain.
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According to the National Crime Agency, these smugglers are being tricked by traffickers into thinking the UK will simply fine them if they are caught bringing the drug through customs.
Eleven British passengers from Thailand were arrested this month alone at Birmingham Airport, carrying 510 kilos of cannabis in their bags.
Another man landed in the UK from Los Angeles carrying 158 kilos of the drug, worth around £1 million and was jailed for three years in July.
Read more: Under 100 spaces left in men's prisons in England and Wales
This year, approximately half of those arrested (184) travelled from Thailand, while 75 from Canada, and 47 from the US.
Last year arrests for cannabis importation rose 700 per cent to 136 — up from 17 in 2022. 378 passengers have already been arrested in 2024.
NCA Director General of Threats James Babbage said: "We would appeal to anyone who is approached to engage in smuggling to think very carefully about the potential consequences of their actions, and the risks they will run.
"We know organised criminals can be persuasive and offer to pay couriers. But the risks of getting caught are high, and it just isn't worth that risk.
"The NCA is actively working with partners like 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 crucial role in the supply chain is one way we can do that."
Smugglers are reportedly paid as much as £10,000 per trip. The maximum jail sentence for cannabis importation into the UK is 14 years in prison.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship Seema Malhotra said: "Illegal drugs cause harm to communities and fuel criminal gangs. We will not tolerate people attempting to bring them into our country.”
"Our Border Force officers are committed to finding and seizing cannabis and other illegal drugs, and last year Border Force seized a record amount of cannabis.
"Anyone caught bringing cannabis to the UK will face the full force of the law, and Border Force will continue to work relentlessly alongside the NCA to keep illegal substances off our streets."
