A drug smuggling gang that attempted to bring £13.8 million worth of cannabis through Birmingham Airport has been dismantled, with all eleven members convicted. The drugs, weighing 460 kilos, were concealed in 22 suitcases that arrived from Thailand via Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Border Force officers discovered the cannabis after the group paid for excess baggage at Bangkok Airport because the suitcases were so heavy. The drugs were hidden under a thin layer of clothing in each suitcase, with every courier carrying two cases packed with 20 kilos of cannabis.
Coordinated flight and baggage operation
Investigators found that four different passengers had flown from Birmingham to Charles de Gaulle earlier on the same day, August 9 2024. Each passenger carried two large suitcases filled with cannabis.
One gang member received a message before the drugs arrived, saying: "my man gonna be on the other side – don't leave the airport until you see him leave. Even if your bags are there just let them go round on the belt, go toilet etc. etc."
However, before the couriers could unload the drugs to their intended recipient, they were stopped at the Nothing To Declare channel and the items were seized.
Eleven convicted after trials and guilty pleas
Birmingham Crown Court heard this week that the couriers each had two suitcases packed with 20 kilos of cannabis, totalling 460 kilos. Eight of the suitcases contained Apple Air Tag trackers, and investigators identified that these were connected to the same Apple ID account.
Those convicted are: Carsten Kyei, 21, from Newham, East London; Bradley Lloyd, 27, and Claire McCullough, 36, both from Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester; Lewis Ross, 35, from Bolton, Lancashire; Nathan Vitorino, 26, from Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire; Ryan Boachie, 32, from Edmonton, North London; Gideon Oluwasetemi Olumoyegun, 26, from Dagenham; Tasia Nelson, 22, from Newquay, Cornwall; Jaden Ramen, 23, from Colliers Wood, South London; Paige Crisp, 24, from Broomhall, Worcester; and Jamal Clarke, 22, from Walthamstow, London.
Kyei and Vitorino were convicted on May 26 2026 following a three-week trial, while Ross and Lloyd changed their pleas to guilty during that trial. McCullough, Boachie, Olumoyegun and Clarke also pleaded guilty at previous hearings. Crisp, Nelson and Ramen were convicted on Wednesday, August 19, following a four-week trial.
Sentencing and warnings from authorities
Crisp, Nelson and Ramen will be sentenced on October 22, while the others will be sentenced on September 3, according to a spokesperson for the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Senior investigating officer Paul Boniface said: "A huge amount of planning went into this sophisticated attempt to bring hundreds of kilos of cannabis into the UK. The detailed coordination of flights and luggage demonstrates the lengths criminals will go to in order to hide their offending. With thanks to Border Force, we were able to confiscate these drugs and stop criminals from benefiting financially from the damage they cause. Anyone who is approached to smuggle drugs into the UK should take this as a sign; you will not succeed, and if you try, you will face justice."
Victoria Norman from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "Working with investigators, prosecutors pieced together a picture of a highly coordinated effort to smuggle industrial quantities of drugs into the country. Ultimately, this strong evidence led to six of the group pleading guilty, with the remainder convicted following a trial. The CPS is committed to working with the NCA to tackle organised crime and ensure that those involved with drug smuggling are brought to justice."
Adam Chatfield, Head of Border Force Midlands Command, said: "These convictions should be a stark warning to anyone considering bringing cannabis into the UK. The young people involved now face a serious crime on their records, damaging their job prospects and life chances. More than ever, we are working closely with law enforcement partners in the UK and overseas to combat drug smuggling, keep our communities safe and our borders secure."
