Man arrested in connection with £600,000 of cannabis seized at airport

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to import a six-figure sum of cannabis through a UK airport.

The 33-year-old was arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers shortly after 8am on Wednesday in Gourock, Inverclyde, following an investigation supported by Police Scotland.

He has now been taken to Carlisle for questioning.

The NCA says the £600,000 stash was being smuggled through Stansted Airport on September 2.

Border Force officers detected roughly 60kg of the drug in two suitcases, which had arrived via a flight from Bangkok, Thailand.

Two women aged 28 and 32 were arrested, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and were bailed to appear before Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

NCA senior investigating officer David Phillips said: “The NCA continues to work with partners like Border Force to target those involved in drug smuggling – that includes both the couriers and the organisers.

“We would appeal to anyone who is approached to engage in any kind of smuggling to think very carefully about the likely consequences of their actions, and the potentially life-changing risks they will be taking.”

It comes after the NCA issued a warning to travellers arriving into the UK from Thailand, Canada and the United States that they face jail sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into the country, after a huge upsurge in arrests.

So far this year, the agency says the amount of cannabis seized is more than three times that in 2023.

The NCA also said drug couriers often report being told by their superiors they only risk a fine if caught, when in reality the maximum sentence for smuggling cannabis into the UK is 14 years behind bars.