Eleven charged after £13.8m cannabis seizure at Birmingham Airport

Eleven individuals aged between 21 and 35 have been charged in connection with an attempt to smuggle over half a tonne (510 kg) of cannabis worth approximately £13.8 million into the UK via Birmingham Airport in August 2024. The drugs were packed into 22 suitcases and were transported from Thailand through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The accused, originating from various parts of the UK including London, Cornwall, and Greater Manchester, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court and were bailed until their next hearing at Birmingham Crown Court in November 2025, with some hearings adjourned or warrants issued for failures to appear. Six men suspected of organizing the smuggling operation, five arrested in Luton and Finchley, remain under ongoing investigation. The National Crime Agency emphasized the significant scale of the seizure, warning against drug smuggling due to high chances of detection and severe consequences. The case highlights rising cannabis trafficking from countries like Thailand, Canada, and certain US regions, where cannabis is legal or decriminalized, feeding the UK market with perceived high-quality drugs.