So, when offered a free flight and hotel accommodation, plus 1,000 british pounds for expenses, she felt like a "dream come true".

After two weeks of sightseeing and relaxation, the pleasant vacation turned stressful as lucy prepared to return to the UK. She was tasked with smuggling a suitcase full of high-quality cannabis, with a market value of approximately 65,000-70,000 british pounds.

Lucy is just one of many young drug couriers in the UK, following well-known cases like Bella Culley (18) and Charlotte Lee (21) — who were arrested last year returning to the UK from thailand with an estimated 1,4 million british pounds worth of cannabis in their luggage.

Bella May Culley, 18, shared travel photos in thailand before her arrest for cannabis smuggling at the airport, 5/2025. Photo: Instagram

The primary targets for drug gangs in the UK when recruiting couriers are vulnerable young individuals or those in need of money for any reason. Since cannabis was legalized in thailand in 2022, its smuggling into the UK has increased significantly. In 2025, approximately 650 individuals were arrested for cannabis smuggling at UK airports. More than 50% of these were under 30, with the highest concentration between the ages of 17 and 24. Arrests of young women saw a sharp rise.

Zee, who operates a recruitment network flying couriers to thailand weekly, stated: "This is a large-scale operation nationwide. We pay for flights, hotels, and ensure they have a good time. They are young and naive, without money. They come to us because they hear their friends are doing it and getting away with it without issues. They know there are risks". Zee recounted that after the free vacation, couriers often become anxious when preparing to return home. At that point, they are threatened with death in thailand if they attempt to withdraw.

In thailand, "T", a british drug dealer who traffics hundreds of thousands of british pounds worth of drugs into the UK monthly, stated that couriers are paid 5,000 british pounds (over 175 million vietnamese dong) upon completing a mission. "Their holidays are covered; we provide them with one or two weeks in a hotel and 1,000 british pounds for spending money, so in total, I spend about 7,000 british pounds per person," "T" said. "T" buys cannabis in bulk for 700 to 800 british pounds per kg, vacuum-packed to contain the smell, with each kg selling for over 3,000 british pounds on the UK market.

Charlotte Lee, a 21-year-old former british flight attendant, was found with 46 kg of synthetic cannabis in her suitcase while flying from bangkok to sri lanka in 5/2025. Photo: Enterprise

Chris Butler, head of strategic tasking at the UK Border Force, reported that over the past year, seized cannabis increased by 66% compared to the previous year. In 2025, the National Crime Agency seized 28 tons of cannabis transported to UK airports. Penalties for cannabis smuggling in the UK include up to 14 years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.

However, at UK airports, after passengers collect their luggage, authorities lack scanners to inspect the contents. Therefore, the Border Force relies on observing unusual signs, particularly body language. Checks are entirely random. How many people slip through? It all depends on luck. On her first venture, lucy managed to complete the task successfully, even considering doing it again.

"The most stressful part for me was landing in the UK and waiting for my luggage to arrive... when I saw it, I thought 'I did it'. I was terrified but called the number they gave me, handed the suitcase to the driver, and received 5,000 british pounds in cash," lucy recounted, adding that she plans to use the money for a vacation in mexico.

Tue Anh (according to The Sun)