A 45-year-old woman, Amy Jayne Durban, has been jailed for smuggling a whopping 51.2kg of cannabis worth over half a million quid from Thailand to Heathrow Airport. The stash was hidden in two suitcases and caught by Border Force officers as she landed on July 6. Durban, from Hemyock, Cullompton, Devon, pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court and is due to be sentenced on October 14.
Mark Abbott, a senior investigating officer with the NCA, warned that getting caught smuggling cannabis can ruin lives. 'Couriers face prison time, hefty fines, and a criminal record that’ll mess up their future travel and career plans,' he said. The NCA also revealed that organised crime groups are using social media to lure unsuspecting muggles into becoming couriers with promises of free holidays and cash.
The demand for cannabis in the UK is driving this surge, with 600 couriers arrested at British airports just in the first half of 2026. That’s a massive jump from 142 arrests in 2023.