UK Authorities Seize £5m Worth of Cannabis At Birmingham Airport, Affecting Thai Tourists

[snoop1130]

 

A major seizure of cannabis, worth approximately £5 million (about 225 million baht), shocked travelers at Birmingham Airport, UK. The Uk police found the drugs distributed across 28 suitcases on a single day, as tourists from Thailand crowded the terminal. The operation led to the arrest of 11 British travelers returning from Thailand via Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. They have been released on bail until November 9.

 

The National Crime Agency (NCA) warned that people smuggling drugs could be faced with significant prison sentences. Alarmingly, there has been an increase in arrests associated with the smuggling of cannabis from incoming flights from Thailand, Canada, and the United States. This year, 378 people have been apprehended for smuggling cannabis through UK airports, tripling the amount confiscated in 2023. These seizures consist of an estimated 15 tonnes of the drug.

 

More than half of the arrests this year, specifically 184, involved cannabis coming from Thailand. Additionally, 75 were connected to cannabis from Canada, and 47 from the United States.

 

 

 

 

Many of the couriers thought they were only risking a fine, even though the harshest penalty for importing cannabis in the UK is 14 years imprisonment. Around 196 people have already been convicted this year, accumulating sentences totaling nearly 188 years.

 

One significant case happened in May, when Fernando Mayans Fuster, a 51-year-old Spaniard was caught at Manchester Airport. He had 158 kilogrammes of cannabis in eight suitcases, coming from Los Angeles. He was sentenced to a term of three years and four months.

 

James Babbage, NCA's Director General of Threats, warned that criminal gangs are taking advantage of the legal cannabis market overseas to smuggle high-quality products into the UK, often endangering couriers in the process. He advised that the risks of getting caught were great and not worth taking.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-08-28

 

 

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[Bday Prang]

Why would anybody bother ?  The Uk is awash with weed, the majority of which is grown there.  Anybody bringing in 8 suitcases filled with  150 kg  of weed through an airport must be an idiot.  There would be no need for sniffer dogs, the smell must have been overpowering.

 Simply legalising it in the UK would end this "problem" immediately , saving a fortune, and freeing up customs & police who would then be able to concentrate their attentions on real issues,

[Upnotover]

A "Thai Tourist" in my book would be a Thai national visiting Birmingham on holiday (though lord knows why).  These people were British tourists returning from holidays in Thailand.

[Stocky]

2 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

A "Thai Tourist" in my book would be a Thai national visiting Birmingham on holiday (though lord knows why).  These people were British tourists returning from holidays in Thailand.

Birmingham is popular as a base for tourists wishing to explore the UK, centrally placed so easy to explore around the Midlands, Cotswolds, Peak District and Welsh Borders, far cheaper than London - which is only 90 minutes away by rail to visit. 

[2008bangkok]

3 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Why would anybody bother ?  The Uk is awash with weed, the majority of which is grown there.  Anybody bringing in 8 suitcases filled with  150 kg  of weed through an airport must be an idiot.  There would be no need for sniffer dogs, the smell must have been overpowering.

 Simply legalising it in the UK would end this "problem" immediately , saving a fortune, and freeing up customs & police who would then be able to concentrate their attentions on real issues,

Says 28 suitcases, you need to go Spec savers?

[Upnotover]

10 minutes ago, 2008bangkok said:

Says 28 suitcases, you need to go Spec savers?

Two stories mixed up.  The specific story was 510kg in 28 cases.  But the stupidity remains the same.

[lordgrinz]

Who in their right mind would smuggle drugs on a plane, let alone that ridiculous amount?! Were they high when they thought this through?

[chickenslegs]

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

A major seizure of cannabis, worth approximately £5 million (about 225 million baht), shocked travelers at Birmingham Airport, UK. The Uk police found the drugs distributed across 28 suitcases on a single day, as tourists from Thailand crowded the terminal.

That's an average of about 180,000 GBP worth of weed per suitcase.

According to Mr Google the average street value of cannabis in the UK is approximately 10 GBP per gram. In Thailand it's about the same.

So I don't understand why anyone would invest 180,000 GBP for very little profit, and take the risk of jail time (and losing all their investment).

Perhaps someone with more knowledge will enlighten me.

 

Smuggling cigarettes would be much more profitable (Thailand 40 THB per pack, UK 14 GBP - 600 THB). I stopped smoking 20 years ago so I'm just getting those numbers from Mr Google.

[Bday Prang]

58 minutes ago, 2008bangkok said:

Says 28 suitcases, you need to go Spec savers?

nobody likes a smart a$$ or a pedant ,   especially when they are wrong,      what were you saying about Specsavers ?

here is a cut and paste from the OP,  read it slowly this time , with your s.pectacles on , looks like my mother was right, it does damage the eyesight .

 

 

"One significant case happened in May, when Fernando Mayans Fuster, a 51-year-old Spaniard was caught at Manchester Airport. He had 158 kilogrammes of cannabis in eight suitcases, coming from Los Angeles. He was sentenced to a term of three years and four months."

 

 If was that so difficult for you  to understand, maybe you need more than spectacles

 

Any decent person would now apologise

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, 2008bangkok said:

Says 28 suitcases, you need to go Spec savers?

 

An incident of one person carrying 8 suitcases of cannabis was part of the story......there for all to read.

 

Why should it should not be commented upon given that it is all in an item that was pretty much cut and pasted from "Birmingham live"  and/or "BBC News".

 

 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/5m-birmingham-airport-cannabis-bust-29818291

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c935vp0q83po

 

 

 

 

 

[Enoon]

3 hours ago, Stocky said:

Birmingham is popular as a base for tourists wishing to explore the UK, centrally placed so easy to explore around the Midlands, Cotswolds, Peak District and Welsh Borders, far cheaper than London - which is only 90 minutes away by rail to visit. 

 

Had I been a Thai tourist I would have got off at Paris for sure!

 

 

 

[frank83628]

46 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

That's an average of about 180,000 GBP worth of weed per suitcase.

According to Mr Google the average street value of cannabis in the UK is approximately 10 GBP per gram. In Thailand it's about the same.

So I don't understand why anyone would invest 180,000 GBP for very little profit, and take the risk of jail time (and losing all their investment).

Perhaps someone with more knowledge will enlighten me.

 

Smuggling cigarettes would be much more profitable (Thailand 40 THB per pack, UK 14 GBP - 600 THB). I stopped smoking 20 years ago so I'm just getting those numbers from Mr Google.

i would imagine this is misreported somewhere along the line.

 

they always list it as street value, but that would mean selling every gram. at top price, which rarely happens. i expect it will turn out to be way less.

 

also 11 people and 510kgs is 46kgs each, a normal allowance is 20-30kgs

 

[Yagoda]

Your lot should legalize it, cut down on the drunken fighting.

 

Well maybe except for Scousers, but it will help overall.

[Bday Prang]

38 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

i would imagine this is misreported somewhere along the line.

 

they always list it as street value, but that would mean selling every gram. at top price, which rarely happens. i expect it will turn out to be way less.

 

also 11 people and 510kgs is 46kgs each, a normal allowance is 20-30kgs

 

The 510 kilos was spread over 28 suitcases  thats just over 18 kilos per suitcase , easily acheivable ,  Like wise the spanish guy had 158 kilos in 8 suitcases  which is just under 20 kilos per case .  

I never pay any attention to the reported values, its always inflated for dramatic effect,  either that or it just goes to show that police and customs officials are generally paying a lot more for their weed than the rest of us 

 Anyway I doubt those concerned were too bothered about any excess baggage charges, 

[Bday Prang]

7 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Your lot should legalize it, cut down on the drunken fighting.

 

Well maybe except for Scousers, but it will help overall.

What on earth have "Scousers" got to do with this?    There is no more drunken fighting in Liverpool than anywhere else, in fact there is probably a lot less, which you would well know , if you had ever actually been there    Although they would probably make an exception for you, 

[Yagoda]

12 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

What on earth have "Scousers" got to do with this?    There is no more drunken fighting in Liverpool than anywhere else, in fact there is probably a lot less, which you would well know , if you had ever actually been there    Although they would probably make an exception for you, 

Dude I just tell you what your lot tells me, Im a Yank and my buds all tell me that Scousers, like Scotsmen, are barely human, no idea, Ive only been to London

[Bday Prang]

Just now, Yagoda said:

Dude I just tell you what your lot tells me, Im a Yank and my buds all tell me that Scousers, like Scotsmen, are barely human, no idea, Ive only been to London

Well you should be more selective in your choice of freinds,  and If I were you I would not believe a word they say.  If you managed survived the $hit h0le  called London, Liverpool would be like a walk in the park . As long as you don't repeat what you said in your previous comment.

 But as for Scotland ,  that is a different matter completely 

[daveAustin]

54 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Your lot should legalize it, cut down on the drunken fighting.

 

Well maybe except for Scousers, but it will help overall.

I agree it should be legalised, but that's not the reason people fight. They still fight in Holland, Canada, Thailand and the parts of the US where it's legal. It is very easy to come by in the UK; the only criminality here is that it is still illegal due to the dinosaur element running things. This story just wouldn't happen. All psychedelics and weed should be immediately legalised everywhere.

[Yagoda]

38 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

Well you should be more selective in your choice of freinds,  and If I were you I would not believe a word they say.  If you managed survived the $hit h0le  called London, Liverpool would be like a walk in the park . As long as you don't repeat what you said in your previous comment.

 But as for Scotland ,  that is a different matter completely 

You a scouser? Do you guys really eat rats in council houses on Giro day?

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

A major seizure of cannabis, worth approximately £5 million (about 225 million baht), shocked travelers at Birmingham Airport, UK. The Uk police found the drugs distributed across 28 suitcases on a single day, as tourists from Thailand crowded the terminal. The operation led to the arrest of 11 British travelers returning from Thailand via Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. They have been released on bail until November 9

Why?

[RichardColeman]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The operation led to the arrest of 11 British travelers returning from Thailand via Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. They have been released on bail until November 9.

Guess all gigs of the reggae band are on hold until after 9th then

[Upnotover]

7 hours ago, frank83628 said:

also 11 people and 510kgs is 46kgs each, a normal allowance is 20-30kgs

Not in business class, these guys can afford it.

[bradiston]

9 hours ago, 2008bangkok said:

Says 28 suitcases, you need to go Spec savers?

A different batch. Adjust lenses and reread.

[Upnotover]

8 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

According to Mr Google the average street value of cannabis in the UK is approximately 10 GBP per gram. In Thailand it's about the same.

Presumably they got quite some discount for 510kg of the stuff.

[arick]

Normally it boxes of Chilies.

[Scouse123]

8 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Your lot should legalize it, cut down on the drunken fighting.

 

Well maybe except for Scousers, but it will help overall.

 

 

Behave yourself and your unjustified comments.

[Scouse123]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Why?

 

Jails are full,

 

no room at the Inn.

[hotchilli]

2 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

Jails are full,

 

no room at the Inn.

A chain and heavy ball is a good solution

[stoner]

ya'll have no idea really. a drop in the ocean. strictly talking cannabis and transit between the 2 countries. 

 

 

[Scouse123]

9 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

A chain and heavy ball is a good solution

 

As long as they can get to Wetherspoon's for the 9.30am morning beers