Stopping drugs at the source: 90% decrease in cannabis sent from Thailand

Cannabis smuggling between Thailand and the UK has fallen by 90 per cent in three months, the Home Office has reported.

Thai Customs are now working with the UK Border Force by checking parcels before shipment, which has led to over 800 cannabis smugglers being stopped between October 2024 and March 2025.

There was a record number of illegal drug seizures in the UK last year, revealing 119 tonnes of substances worth £3 billion. The Metropolitan Police said this was an annual increase of 52 per cent.

Protecting communities

Border Minister Seema Malhotra stated: “By stopping these drugs at source, we’re disrupting organised crime, protecting communities, and freeing Border Force to focus on other priorities.

“Together with our partners in Thailand, this government will continue to take tough action against those attempting to smuggle illegal drugs across our borders.”

Border Force Director General Phil Douglas explained: “Our work doesn’t stop at the border, we work internationally with our partners to prevent illicit goods from even reaching the UK. We are using advanced intelligence more than ever before and last year we made a record number of drug seizures, including the highest harm substances.”

Violent impact

At least half of all murders over the last five years in England and Wales were drug related, recent figures show.

Analysing Home Office data, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that 1,640 of the 3,062 murders committed between April 2019 and March 2024 were linked to drugs.

A total of 56 per cent of all murders last year involved drug users, dealers, or were related to drugs in some way – the highest proportion in a decade.