Five men from Luton and London arrested after more than half a tonne of cannabis seized at Birmingham Airport
Five men from Luton and London have been arrested after more than half a tonne of cannabis was seized at Birmingham Airport.
The individuals, aged between 21 and 27, were apprehended at separate addresses in the Marsh Farm area of Luton and at one address in Finchley early on Wednesday morning (October 23). The video above, supplied by the National Crime Agency (NCA), shows one of the arrests.
NCA investigators led the investigation, supported by officers from Bedfordshire Police, after the cannabis was seized from Birmingham Airport in August.
The five men arrested are suspected of organising the attempted importations, after which 11 air passengers from various locations in the UK were arrested and bailed pending further enquiries. They had flown into the UK from Thailand via Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
According to the NCA, the cannabis seized would have had a UK street value of around £5 million.
A spokesperson from the NCA said: “The amount of cannabis seized in the UK so far in 2024 is three times more than the whole of 2023.
“The increase in these seizures is fuelled by organised crime gangs who have access to cannabis grown overseas, in locations where it is legal, who are recruiting couriers to transport it to the UK where it can generate greater profit for them than growing the drugs themselves.”
NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope said: "The arrests in Luton and London show that we will leave no stone unturned in our hunt for anyone involved in attempts to smuggle cannabis into the UK, regardless of the level they operate at.
"The gangs behind this trade do not care that couriers will likely be arrested and end up in prison – their sole motivation is financial gain.
"Anyone who tries to smuggle drugs into the UK needs to know that they will be identified, arrested and spend time behind bars."
The men arrested this week remain in custody and are now being questioned.
Anyone with information on the smuggling of drugs through UK ports is urged to report it, anonymously if they prefer, by calling Border Force's Customs Hotline on 0800 595 000.