Charges following £13.8 million cannabis haul at Birmingham Airport

Charges After £13.8 Million Cannabis Seizure at Birmingham Airport

Eleven individuals, aged 21 to 35, have been charged following a National Crime Agency investigation into the seizure of over half a tonne of cannabis at Birmingham Airport. The drugs were discovered packed into 22 suitcases by Border Force in August 2024.

All the passengers involved had flown from Thailand, with a stopover at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The total weight of cannabis was 510 kilograms, estimated to have a UK street value of £13.8 million.

Court Proceedings

Nine of the accused appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 31 October 2025 and were released on bail until their next hearing at Birmingham Crown Court scheduled for 28 November 2025. Clare McCullogh’s hearing was postponed until 5 December 2025. Bradley Lloyd failed to attend court, leading magistrates to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Ongoing Investigation and Organisers

Six men believed to have organised the attempted importation remain under investigation. Five of them were arrested at homes in Marsh Farm, Luton, and Finchley, north London, on 23 October 2024.

NCA Branch Commander Kevin Broadhead said: “This was an enormous amount of cannabis to be seized from air passengers and would have been extremely profitable for organised crime gangs had it remained undetected. The charges brought against these individuals are an important moment in our investigation, which remains ongoing. Anyone who is asked to smuggle drugs into the UK should think very carefully about the potential consequences if caught.”

Summary: The seizure of 510 kilograms of cannabis at Birmingham Airport led to charges against 11 individuals, highlighting ongoing efforts to disrupt organised drug trafficking networks.

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National Crime Agency National Crime Agency — 2025-11-01

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