Overview
- All 11 couriers were found guilty for trying to import about 460 kg of vacuum‑packed cannabis concealed in 22 suitcases that arrived from Thailand via Paris.
- Border Force flagged the group after matching multiple passengers who had flown Birmingham–Charles de Gaulle on 9 August 2024 and staffed the Nothing To Declare channel to seize the luggage.
- NCA investigators linked eight Apple AirTags to a single Apple ID to show coordinated tracking of the suitcases, a digital lead used as forensic evidence in court.
- Court hearings across 2026 produced a mix of guilty pleas and trial convictions, with those convicted on different dates now due to be sentenced on September 3 and October 22, 2026.
- Authorities framed the outcome as a deterrent, saying the case shows organised groups plan routes and pay excess baggage at origin to move drugs and that anyone approached to smuggle will face prosecution.