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Kuala Lumpur: The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has today warned Malaysian travellers against bringing in cannabis into the country, saying they may face jail sentences.

In a statement, the agency said 93 Malaysians have been arrested so far this year for attempting to smuggle cannabis into the UK.

“In some cases, it is unclear whether the mules knew what the potential penalties are but in most cases they were operating on behalf of organised criminal gangs,” said NCA Director General of Threats, James Babbage.

“Gangs can make significant profits by selling and smuggling high-quality cannabis legally grown in the USA, Canada and Thailand illegally in the UK.”

These arrests are part of a broader crackdown on cannabis smuggling, which has seen a total of 378 people detained in connection with such activities.

The NCA reported that a staggering 15 tonnes of cannabis have been seized at UK airports this year, a significant increase from the five tonnes confiscated in 2023.

More than half of those arrested in 2023 had flown in from the United States, Thailand, and Canada, with the trend continuing this year, where 184 arrests related to cannabis from Thailand.

The NCA also noted that some couriers were found with electronic trackers in their luggage, likely placed by organised criminals to monitor the shipments.

This year, 196 people have already been convicted for cannabis smuggling, with sentences totalling almost 188 years.

NCA experts believe the surge in cannabis smuggling is driven by organised crime gangs exploiting the legality of cannabis in countries like Thailand, Canada, and the US, and using couriers to bring the drug into the UK where it is illegal.