The UK Home Office has warned young travellers not to accept offers of free holidays, luxury accommodation or business-class flights from criminal gangs recruiting drug couriers.
The warning, issued by Border Force ahead of the summer holiday season, follows a sharp rise in cannabis smuggling through UK airports.
According to the Home Office, the number of cannabis smugglers intercepted on arrival increased from 142 in 2023 to 976 in 2025.
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Officials said around 600 suspected drug couriers were arrested during the first half of 2026, with men aged between 18 and 37 arriving from Thailand accounting for the largest group.
Border Force said organised criminal gangs are targeting school leavers, university graduates and first-time travellers through social media by offering free holidays and spending money before persuading them to carry cannabis into the UK.
Travellers have been advised not to carry luggage for others, to know the contents of their bags, to keep control of their travel documents and to reject suspicious offers, particularly for trips to destinations where cannabis is legal or more readily available.
Border Force Lead Officer for Safeguarding Kate Goldstone warned that accepting such offers could result in arrest, prosecution, imprisonment and a criminal record with lifelong consequences.
The agency also revealed that cannabis seizures at UK airports have risen sharply, with more than 28 tonnes seized from arriving passengers in 2025.
The warning comes as the UK and Thailand strengthen cooperation to combat cannabis smuggling and disrupt organised criminal networks targeting international travellers.
