High-flying stash: Wirral man’s 260 kilo cannabis catch worth 33 million baht seized at Birmingham Airport
A man from the Wirral in Merseyside, Liverpool was found with a staggering 260 kilogrammes worth of cannabis worth 750,000 British pounds (33 million baht) at Birmingham Airport after landing via a flight from Bangkok.
The man landed in the UK on November 29 when police discovered two suitcases of cannabis worth 30 kilogrammes. The arrest is not a single incident. Birmingham International Airport has become a hotspot for a wave of cannabis seizures.
In just two weeks, National Crime Agency (NCA) officers apprehended nine suspects, each carrying a hefty load of 15 to 40 kilogrammes of the prohibited substance stashed in their luggage.
NCA investigators, grappling with this sudden surge in drug-related incidents, are now sounding the alarm for potential smugglers. The nine detainees, including five who flew in from Thailand and four who initiated their journeys in the United States, face serious charges of smuggling class B drugs. All have been subjected to questioning by the NCA and released on bail pending further inquiries.
The scale of this operation is mind-boggling, with a total of 260 kilogrammes of cannabis intercepted by vigilant Border Force officers. The street value of this colossal haul is estimated at 750,000 British pounds. The NCA is intensively scrutinising each seizure, probing for potential connections between the cases that could unravel the intricate web of this criminal enterprise, reported Liverpool Echo.
NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope issued a stern warning to anyone contemplating involvement in drug transportation to the UK.
“Think very carefully about the consequences of getting caught.”
He highlighted that some passengers initiated their journeys in locations where cannabis might be legal, but emphasized that this legality holds no sway upon arrival in the UK.
Pope stressed the integral role couriers play in the business models of organised criminal gangs, underlining the severe repercussions awaiting those who choose to partake in this illicit trade.
“Organised criminal gangs rely on couriers to bring illicit substances into the UK; consequently, those playing such a role face stiff jail sentences. It simply isn’t worth the risk.”
