PETALING JAYA: 93 Malaysians have so far been arrested for attempting to bring in cannabis into the United Kingdom this year.
In a statement, the National Crime Agency has noted that 378 people have been arrested in connection with investigations into cannabis smuggling by air travellers.
“We would appeal to anyone who is approached to engage in smuggling to think very carefully about the potential consequences of their actions, and the risks they will run.
“We know organised criminals can be persuasive, and offer to pay couriers. But the risks of getting caught are high, and it just isn’t worth that risk,” said NCA Director General of Threats James Babbage
An estimated 15 tonnes of cannabis was detected and seized at UK airports in the same period – already around three times more than in the whole of 2023.
The 2024 total is a staggering increase on the two tonnes seized in 2022. In fact, 196 people have already been convicted and handed sentences this year, totalling almost 188 years.
The maximum sentence for cannabis importation in the UK is up to 14 years in prison.
NCA experts believe the surge in cannabis smuggling is driven by organised crime gangs exploiting the legality of cannabis in countries like Thailand, Canada, and the US, and using couriers to bring the drug into the UK where it is illegal.
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