A 45-year-old Devon mum, Amy Jayne Durban, got herself into some proper hot water when she tried to smuggle over half a million quid worth of cannabis into the UK. Border Force officers rumbled her at Heathrow on July 6th, finding 51.2kg of the green stuff stuffed in her suitcases.
Durban, from Hemyock, Cullompton, was nicked and pleaded guilty to smuggling Class B drugs at Isleworth Crown Court this week. She’s set to be sentenced on October 14th, innit. The NCA reckons she’s part of a growing trend — in 2023, they caught 142 cannabis couriers by air; that number skyrocketed to 801 last year.
Senior investigating officer Mark Abbott from the NCA said, “These couriers are risking everything for a quick buck. If they get caught, it’s not just jail time — their future career and travel plans go up in smoke.”