the operation involved a “huge amount of planning”
A gang of 11 people has been convicted after attempting to smuggle 460kg of cannabis into the UK through Birmingham Airport.
The group travelled from Thailand via Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris before arriving at Birmingham Airport on August 9, 2024.
The cannabis had an estimated street value of £13.8 million.
Each member of the group travelled with two large suitcases containing around 20kg of cannabis.
The bags were so heavy that the smugglers had to pay extra baggage charges at Bangkok Airport to place them in the aircraft hold.
Suspicion was raised after four passengers travelled from Birmingham to Charles de Gaulle earlier that day, each carrying two large suitcases.
When the luggage was examined, officers discovered a thin layer of clothing covering vacuum-packed cannabis.
Eight of the suitcases also contained Apple AirTags. All eight were connected to the same Apple ID account.
The final three members of the group were convicted at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.
Paige Crisp, aged 24, from Malvern, Tasia Nelson, aged 22, from Newquay, and Jaden Ramen, aged 23, from Merton, were found guilty of offences linked to the attempted importation of Class B drugs.
Carsten Kyei, aged 21, from Plaistow, and Nathan Vitorino, aged 26, from Welwyn Garden City, were previously convicted following a three-week trial in May.
Bradley Lloyd, aged 27, from Wythenshawe, and Lewis Ross, aged 35, from Bolton, changed their pleas to guilty during the same trial.
Claire McCullough, aged 36, Ryan Boachie, aged 32, Gideon Oluwasetemi Olumoyegun, aged 26, and Jamal Clarke, aged 22, had previously pleaded guilty.
National Crime Agency senior investigating officer Paul Boniface said the operation involved a “huge amount of planning”.
He said: “With thanks to Border Force, we were able to confiscate these drugs and stop criminals from benefiting financially from the damage they cause.”
Adam Chatfield, head of Border Force Midlands Command, said the convictions should be a “stark warning” to anyone considering bringing cannabis into the UK.
Seven members of the group are due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on September 3.
Crisp, Nelson and Ramen will be sentenced on October 22.
The NCA said cannabis smuggling by air has increased significantly in recent years.
In 2024, 801 cannabis smugglers were caught arriving in the UK by plane, a 464% increase on 2023. The figure rose to 976 in 2025.
The NCA said 600 air passenger couriers were arrested between January and June 2026, suggesting the number could rise again this year.
