The ‘average’ British courier will have to pay around £17,700 to leave the country.
Brits caught smuggling cannabis from Thailand will have to pay huge new fines or face up to two years behind bars.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has been working with Thai authorities and the Home Office to reduce the number of air passengers smuggling cannabis into the United Kingdom.
Thailand decriminalised possession of cannabis in 2022 but it remains illegal to export without correct permissions.
For the last few years the NCA has worked tirelessly with Border Force and international partners to combat the threat of cannabis smuggled to the UK.
Fuelled by demand here, there has been an explosion in the number of drugs couriers trying to smuggle cannabis into the country.
In 2023, 142 cannabis smugglers were caught arriving in the UK by plane.
In 2024 that number rocketed to 801 - a 464% increase.
The figure rose again in 2025 to 976.
And 2026 is on track to be even worse with 600 air passenger couriers arrested at UK airports in the first six months alone.
Under the new fines regime, smugglers will have to pay Thai Customs 30,000 Baht (around £680) per kilo of cannabis.
The ‘average’ smuggler is caught in Thailand with 26 kilos – equalling a fine of £17,680, and if not paid will lead to a criminal prosecution with up to two years in jail.
Beki Wright, Head of the NCA’s Borders Threat Team, spoke at a press conference in Bangkok today (Weds 8 July) where the fines policy was announced.
She warned would-be couriers: “You will be kept in Thai detention until you have found the money to pay or for two years.
“The crime group that paid you to smuggle it will leave you high and dry.
“If convicted, you face potentially life-changing jail sentences both in the UK and especially abroad. You’ll also have a criminal record, which could wreck future job prospects and your ability to travel abroad.
“It just isn’t worth the risk.”
The fines regime started on 17 June.
Between then and 6 July, 55 smugglers were caught, 21 were British nationals. The fines apply to all nationalities smuggling cannabis from Thailand.
Phanthong Loykulnanta, Director General of Thai Customs, said: “The illegal export of cannabis is one of the criminal activities carried out by transnational organised crime networks, making our continued cooperation more important than ever.
“We believe that our new enforcement measure marks an important milestone in strengthening Thailand's efforts to combat the illegal export of cannabis.
“We are confident that these measures will make cannabis smuggling increasingly difficult and contribute to a significant reduction in the number of offenders.”
Most UK cannabis couriers are approached by crime groups on social media.
They are offered free holidays and spending money in exchange for smuggling cannabis.
But very many are caught, either abroad or on arrival in the UK.
Christopher Butler, Deputy Director of Border Force, said: “Anyone attempting to smuggle cannabis between Thailand and the UK should think again.
"Border Force's cannabis seizures are at a record high and have increased by 50% in the last year.
"We continue to work with the National Crime Agency and global partners to disrupt organised crime, protect our borders and keep communities safe."
There have been recent high-profile cases of young Brits jailed abroad in conditions that are far harsher than UK custody.
The law enforcement relationship between Thailand and the UK is very strong.
In February last year, a joint operation between Thai and UK officers at Bangkok Airport saw 65 couriers stopped from exporting over two tonnes of cannabis worth around £6 million.
At the end of last year, the NCA and Thai partners agreed a new intel sharing regime, where details are provided to Thai Immigration of couriers convicted in the UK of trafficking Thai cannabis.
The first cases have now been passed to Thai Immigration colleagues, and resulting in British nationals being denied entry. These, and other offenders, are no longer able to travel to Thailand.
Thailand has emerged as the lead source country of imported cannabis, overtaking the USA and Canada in 2024. Many air passenger couriers carrying cannabis in on commercial airlines mistakenly believe the risk is low and that the gangs they are recruited by aren’t serious and organised criminals. They are mistaken on both counts.
Cannabis is the biggest single drug consumed in the UK and is increasingly being imported, typically from countries where cannabis is legal or decriminalised.
There is a misconception that cannabis grown in such countries is better and more sophisticated than homegrown cannabis.
This is not the case. Cannabis is not chemically different when it comes from abroad.
The only difference is that cannabis from overseas generates more profit for organised criminals in the UK, because of the lower production costs and its saleability as a perceived superior product.
In 2022, UK law enforcement seized 2.1 tonnes of cannabis from air passengers; in 2023 this increased to approximately 5 tonnes. In 2024 this further increased to 26.9 tonnes. In 2025, over 28 tonnes were seized.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its Travel Advice for Thailand to reflect the new penalties and remind travellers of the serious consequences of attempting to smuggle cannabis.
British Embassy Bangkok Deputy Head of Mission, David Thomas, said: “British Embassy Bangkok has been supporting British nationals detained in Thailand for attempting to export cannabis illegally since the introduction of the fine regime.
“Our work with the Thai authorities is essential to enable the Embassy’s clear communication with detained British Nationals, support appropriate and efficient case handling, and ensure individuals understand the serious legal and personal consequences involved.”
8 July 2026
