Eleven couriers were arrested by Border Force at Birmingham Airport in August 2024 after traveling from Thailand via Paris. They were carrying about 460 kilograms of cannabis, worth roughly £13.8 million, vacuum-packed in 22 suitcases. Eight of the suitcases held Apple AirTag trackers that investigators linked to a single Apple ID account.
Two couriers were convicted in May 2026, and two more changed their pleas to guilty during that trial. On August 19, 2026, three more were convicted, and four others had pleaded guilty earlier.
The National Crime Agency named the 11 as Carsten Kyei, Bradley Lloyd, Claire McCullough, Lewis Ross, Nathan Vitorino, Ryan Boachie, Gideon Oluwasetemi Olumoyegun, Tasia Nelson, Jaden Ramen, Paige Crisp and Jamal Clarke. Sentencing is set for September 3 for most of them and October 22 for the last three. Those outcomes were not yet reported.
The agency also launched a campaign warning young people about smuggling from Thailand. The release does not state the couriers' nationalities.
Why it matters: People who carry bags for others can be convicted even if they are only the courier.
Source: National Crime Agency, 2026-08-19. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting. An arrest or charge is not proof of guilt.