Four members of an international drugs gang have been jailed for trying to smuggle cannabis with a street value of £13.8m into the UK from Thailand.
The arrests came after 11 gang members were detained by border force officers at Birmingham Airport in August 2024. The Class B drug was discovered packed into 22 suitcases, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Investigators said the group had travelled from Thailand via Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. They had to pay excess baggage charges at Bangkok airport because their suitcases were so heavy.
Each member carried two cases holding 20kg (44lb) of vacuum-packed cannabis beneath clothing. The total haul weighed 460kg (1,014lb).
Border force officials linked the seizures to passengers using connecting flights into Birmingham. In response, they fully staffed the nothing to declare customs channel at the airport.
Eight of the cases also contained Apple Air Tags, all connected to the same Apple ID account.
One courier was told: "My man gonna be on the other side – don't leave the airport until you see him leave. Even if your bags are there just let them go round on the belt, go toilet etc. etc."
Following an investigation, 11 people were charged with attempting to carry, remove, deposit, harbour, keep, conceal and deal with Class B drugs with intent to evade prohibition on importing.
Carsten Kyei, 21, from Newham, London, and Nathan Vitorino, 26, from Welwyn Garden City, were found guilty and sentenced to two years and eight months in prison on Monday, following a three-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Lewis Ross, 35, from Bolton, Lancashire, and Bradley Lloyd, 27, from Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, both changed their pleas to guilty at the same trial. Ross was jailed for two years and eight months, while Lloyd received four years.
Paige Crisp, 24, of Malvern, Worcestershire; Tasia Nelson, 22, of Newquay, Cornwall, and Jaden Ramen, 23, of Merton, London, were all convicted of the same charge at the same court in August.
Claire McCullough, 36, of Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester; Ryan Boachie, 32, of Edmonton, London; Gideon Oluwasetemi Olumoyegun, 26, of Dagenham, London, and Jamal Clarke, 22, of Mile End, London, all pleaded guilty at previous hearings.
The remaining members of the group are due to be sentenced at the same court on 22 October.
Paul Boniface, NCA senior investigating officer, said the sentences showed drugs couriers could end up "paying a high price" for smuggling cannabis to the UK.
"With the help of border force, we were able to intercept these drugs, deprive the criminal network behind the importation of considerable profits and protect the public from the damaging effects of cannabis," he said.
Adam Chatfield, head of Border Force Midlands Command, added: "These convictions should be a stark warning to anyone considering bringing cannabis into the UK.
"The young people involved now have a serious crime on their records, damaging their job prospects and life chances."
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HM Courts & Tribunal Service
Four Jailed for £13.8m Cannabis Smuggling at Birmingham Airport