Border Force Warns Young Travellers Over Drug Smuggling Gangs

Why Border Force is issuing this warning now

Border Force has issued a warning ahead of the peak summer holiday season, urging young Britons travelling abroad not to accept offers of free flights, luxury accommodation or spending money from people they do not know well. Officers say organised crime groups are increasingly using the promise of a free holiday to recruit couriers to bring cannabis back into the UK.

The scale of the problem has grown sharply. Cannabis smuggler arrests at UK airports rose from 142 in 2023 to 976 in 2025, and Border Force says 2026 is on track to be worse again, with 600 air passenger couriers arrested in the first six months of the year alone. Men aged 18 to 37 travelling from Thailand make up the largest single group of those arrested, though Border Force says gangs operate wherever cannabis is legal or easy to obtain, including Canada, the United States and parts of Europe.

Recruitment increasingly happens on social media. Border Force says criminal networks approach school and university leavers and first-time travellers directly through platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, exploiting their inexperience and lack of awareness of the risks involved. A new joint crackdown between the UK and Thailand has also come into force, meaning Britons caught attempting to smuggle cannabis from Thailand can face average fines of around £17,700 or up to two years in prison there, on top of any UK penalties.

Anyone caught smuggling cannabis into the UK risks arrest, prosecution, a criminal record and up to 14 years in prison, regardless of how they became involved or whether they knew what was in their luggage. Border Force's guidance is to refuse unusually generous travel offers, never carry a bag that is not your own, keep hold of your own passport at all times, and treat any pressure not to look inside your own luggage as a serious warning sign.

Cannabis seizures from air passengers have also climbed steeply, from 2.1 tonnes in 2022 to more than 28 tonnes in 2025, a rise Border Force describes as a record high. Anyone approached about carrying drugs, or who suspects someone else has been, can report it to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Frequently asked questions

How many cannabis smugglers have been arrested at UK airports?

Arrests rose from 142 in 2023 to 976 in 2025, with 600 more air passenger couriers arrested in the first six months of 2026 alone.

Which travellers are being targeted by smuggling gangs?

Border Force says school and university leavers and first-time travellers are particularly targeted, often approached through social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.

What happens if I am caught smuggling cannabis into the UK?

You can face arrest, prosecution, a criminal record and up to 14 years in prison, even if you did not know what was in your luggage.

What penalties apply for smuggling cannabis from Thailand specifically?

A new joint UK-Thailand crackdown means average fines of around £17,700 or up to two years in prison in Thailand, in addition to any UK penalties.

How can I report a suspected smuggling approach?

Anyone approached about carrying drugs, or who suspects someone else has been, can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.