Hundreds of ‘brazen’ passengers found trying to smuggle drugs into UK in full suitcases
15 August 2024, 14:24 | Updated: 15 August 2024, 15:52
Authorities have warned drugs are increasingly being smuggled into the UK by hundreds of ‘brazen’ air passengers, who are filling entire suitcases with them.
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The National Crime Agency (NCA) says it’s seen a huge surge in the amount of cannabis and cocaine being seized from arrivals at UK airports, despite luggage going through checks before departure.
“We’ve had one flight with half a tonne of drugs in bags on it,” Director General for Operations, Rob Jones said.
Speaking to LBC, he said: “Over the years, we’ve gotten very good at investigating sophisticated couriers who have false compartments in suitcases, but what we’re seeing at the moment is a growth of people checking in bags literally full of drugs.”
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The revelation was made as the chief of ‘Britain’s FBI’ gave an update on the serious and organised crime picture in the country.
Speaking about small boat crossings, he said:
- Smugglers are now filling boats with an average of 60 people, up from 41 in 2022 and 49 in 2023, increasing the risk of death.
- Gangs are feeling the pinch of the NCA going after their boats and engines further up the supply chain.
- NCA and partners have seized 400 boats or engines from supply chain, potentially stopping 24,000 crossings.
- The cost of crossing the English Channel has increased four-fold as a result of their boats becoming more expensive.
- Young children are now being charged to cross when they didn’t always before.
Figures suggest reports of crime have generally fallen across the country in recent years, but the head of the NCA warned that it’s being replaced by more serious criminality.
Graeme Biggar, head of the NCA, said: “Serious and organised crime is causing more harm to more people more often than any other national security threat.
“There really isn’t any part of society that is immune to the effects of it.”
He said the drugs market is still underpinning serious crime and warned of new synthetic opioids coming onto the market - as he pointed to America where gangs have pushed more deadly substances because of their profit margins.
Since 1 June 2023, Graeme Biggar revealed there have been 284 deaths confirmed to have been caused by nitazenes, which can be added to drugs like heroin, cocaine and pills.
“It’s never been so dangerous to take drugs,” he said, adding, “if you take a pill or a powder or anything that could have been adulterated with one of those really dangerous substances, there's an increased risk to you.”
