Cannabis Smuggling Soars at UK Airports: Seizures Triple in Less Than a Year

The amount of cannabis seized at UK airports has skyrocketed, tripling in less than a year, according to officials. In 2024, authorities have already uncovered around 15 tonnes of the drug, compared to five tonnes for the entirety of 2023 and just two tonnes in 2022. This surge in smuggling activity has led to a corresponding increase in arrests, with 378 suspects detained so far this year, compared to 136 in 2023. The National Crime Agency (NCA) attributes the rise to factors such as overproduction in countries where cannabis is legal and the potential for higher profits in the UK market. Recent cases include the arrest of a Spanish national at Manchester Airport with eight suitcases containing 158 kilos of cannabis, highlighting the scale of the smuggling operation.