A 22-year-old mother from Greater Manchester has been spared an immediate prison sentence for attempting to smuggle cannabis worth £285,000 into the UK, after a court heard she acted under duress due to threats against her young son.
The Harrowing Journey to Thailand
Poppie Kudiersky, from Denton, told Manchester Crown Court she had "reluctantly" agreed to travel to Thailand in early 2024, believing she was assisting with a stolen credit card operation. However, upon arrival, the situation turned sinister. She claims she was presented with two suitcases and shown photographs of criminals outside her family home in the UK.
Prosecutor Philip Hall outlined how Kudiersky alleged she was then told her house would be burnt down and her five-year-old son would be murdered unless she agreed to transport the luggage back to England. The suitcases contained 57 vacuum-packed packages holding approximately 28.5kg of cannabis.
Airport Arrest and Phone Evidence
On 2 February 2024, Kudiersky and a male travelling companion, 26-year-old Mohammed Jacfer from Cheetham Hill, arrived at Manchester Airport's Terminal 2. Customs officers stopped Jacfer as he went through the green channel with two suitcases and a rucksack.
When questioned, Jacfer initially said the bags "should be" his, but then denied ownership, asking to go and look for his own luggage. Officers established the luggage tags on both cases were in the name of Poppie Kudiersky. An X-ray revealed the cannabis haul.
During a subsequent search of Kudiersky's phone, investigators found messages indicating her involvement. One conversation showed she accepted the seized cases were in her name and referenced having "meltdowns" during the trip. Other messages suggested she had been seeking a free holiday.
Photos on her device showed her enjoying the trip, sunbathing in a bikini on Phuket's beaches, sipping cocktails, and visiting the Phi Phi islands. One social media post was captioned: "Blessed with the foreign skin that tans easily."
Sentencing Amid a Soaring Smuggling Trend
Judge Hilary Manley, sentencing, ordered Kudiersky to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work. The judge acknowledged the defendant's youth and vulnerability but emphasised the seriousness of the crime.
Judge Manley stated that the National Crime Agency (NCA) reports a continuing and significant rise in this type of offence, placing a huge burden on UK law enforcement. She noted that had the crime been committed more recently, an immediate custodial sentence would have been inevitable.
"Because of how this sort of offending has become much more common, and much more prevalent, it is very important for all people to understand that those who allow themselves to get involved with importation of drugs in this way will receive deterrent sentences of immediate imprisonment," the judge said.
She added that she was taking a "particularly exceptional course" due to the offence occurring in early 2024, when the NCA was just beginning to document a sharp increase in such cases. Reports indicate the number of airline passengers caught smuggling cannabis into the UK has soared by a staggering 3,625% in the last two years.
Kudiersky had given no comment in her police interview but later provided a basis of plea which was accepted by the court.
