Amy Jayne Durban, of Hemyock, Cullompton, Devon, was arrested by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport on 6 July 2026 after she arrived on a flight from Bangkok.[1] Her two suitcases were stuffed with cannabis that the National Crime Agency said had a street value of at least £512,000.[1] Durban, 45, smuggled 51.2 kg of cannabis from Thailand.[2]

She pleaded guilty to smuggling Class B drugs at Isleworth Crown Court in August.[3] She returned to court on 14 October 2026 and was sentenced to 25 months in prison.[2]

The NCA said 976 cannabis smugglers were caught arriving by plane in 2025, up from 801 in 2024.[3] It said 600 air passenger couriers were arrested at UK airports in the first six months of 2026.[3] Mark Abbott, the NCA senior investigating officer, said there were “really bad outcomes at home and abroad” for couriers who are caught.[1] He said a conviction would damage their future career and travel prospects.[1] The NCA said the case came after it and partners in Thailand announced a new crackdown in the country.[1] The agency has also launched a social media campaign warning young people that smuggling cannabis from Thailand could land them in a foreign jail.[1]