Amy Jayne Durban, 45, from Devon, has pleaded guilty to smuggling Class B drugs after being caught with 51.2kg of cannabis worth £512,000 at Heathrow Airport. She will be sentenced on October 14.
Arrest and Court Appearance
Durban was arrested by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport on July 6 after travelling from Bangkok, Thailand, to London. The cannabis was found stuffed into her two suitcases.
She appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in July and was remanded to custody. This week, she pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court on Thursday, August 6.
Rising Cannabis Smuggling
The National Crime Agency (NCA) reported a significant rise in cannabis smuggling via air travel. In 2023, 142 smugglers were caught; in 2024, this rose to 801, a 464% increase. In 2025, the number reached 976, and 2026 is on track to be worse, with 600 arrests in the first six months alone.
Those caught now face fines of around £680 per kg. The average smuggler caught in Thailand with 26kg would face a fine of £17,680, or up to two years in jail if unpaid.
NCA Warning
Senior investigating officer Mark Abbott said: “There are really bad outcomes at home and abroad when couriers are caught smuggling cannabis. As well as time in prison, a life-changing conviction will damage future career and travel prospects.”
He added: “People should understand that these crime groups use profits from cannabis smuggling to fund the trafficking of other drugs too. All of those drugs fuel wider crime in our communities and have a toxic effect on people’s lives.”
