What's Behind Increased Cannabis Seizures At U.K. Airports? Supply, Demand And Naive Smugglers

The amount of cannabis uncovered at UK airports has tripled this year. Some 15 tons of marijuana have been seized so far in 2024, compared to five tons in 2023 and two tons in 2022, reported The Independent, citing the British National Crime Agency (NCA).

In 2023, there were 136 arrests, while this year there’s been nearly three times that number, or 378 arrests, revealed the NCA. Why is there such an increase in cannabis smuggling?

The agency suggests that other countries with legal cannabis programs have experienced overproduction and, in the U.K., the plant is still illegal, which allows for higher prices on the black market.

Biggest Seizure At Manchester Airport

In May, a Spanish citizen, Fernando Jacobo Mayans Fuster, stashed 350 pounds of cannabis into eight separate suitcases that were checked in under the names of his three children who were traveling with him. The agency said at the time that the cannabis would have had a street value of at least $1.3 million if sold in the U.K.  

"This is one of the biggest cannabis seizures we have seen at Manchester Airport in recent years,” said NCA senior investigating officer Charles Lee in a press release. “The drugs would have generated significant profits. NCA officers are determined to work with our partners at Border Force to stop drug smuggling and disrupt the criminal networks behind it.”

In July, Fuster was jailed for three years and four months at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Another recent seizure happened at Birmingham Airport, when 510kg of cannabis was discovered in 28 suitcases brought from Thailand via Paris.

The data suggest that about half of the arrests (184) involved arrivals from Thailand, 75 from Canada and 47 from the U.S.

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Oversupply In Other Countries

The suggestion that the U.K. might provide higher profits in the black market while other countries are facing oversupply aligns with a recent report about Thailand. The cannabis industry in Thailand isfacing a serious product price drop due to market oversupply. The price of dried cannabis flowers has fallen to less than 2,000 baht ($58.29) per kilogram.

Canada has been facing oversupply issues for a while now. Last October, the Canadian cannabis market saw a record 1.47 billion grams of dried cannabis inventory, intensifying economic challenges. Prices have plummeted approximately 50% from CA$13 per gram in 2019 to CA$6 in 2023, as noted by Aaron Grey of Alliance Global Partners.

Read Also: Cannabis Slowdown In Canada: Analyst Spotlights What Still Sells And Where The Money Is Going

Some Smugglers Tricked

What kind of penalties do cannabis smugglers face in the U.K.? Is the potential profit really worth the risk?

The maximum penalty for illegal weed smuggling is 14 years in prison. While this seems like a simple call, the trouble lies in the fact that some couriers are told they'll escape with a fine if caught and are known to be paid up to £10,000 ($13,233) per trip.

"In some cases, it is unclear whether the mules knew what the potential penalties are, but in most cases, they were operating on behalf of organised criminal gangs," NCA director general of threats James Babbage told The Independent. "And it is those couriers who are running the risk of a potentially life-changing prison sentence."

Babbage continued, "We know organized 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."

Cannabis In The UK

According to 2023 data from the Office for National Statistics, since 1995, cannabis has consistently been the most used illegal substance in England and Wales. But do Brits support cannabis reform?

A 2022 survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies found 38% opposed and 35% supported recreational cannabis legalization.

Interestingly, both major political parties, Labour and Conservative, align on opposing decriminalization despite supporting drug diversion programs. These programs aim to redirect minor drug offenders away from the criminal justice system, a practice some experts consider akin to de facto decriminalization. Only the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party are seeking cannabis reform, highlighting a political divide in the UK’s drug policy debate.

Read Next:

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• UK Cannabis: Medical Marijuana Imports Triple, Government Considers Regulating CBD Products As Food

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