Cannabis: Smuggling

(asked on 28th August 2026) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many air passengers have been arrested for importing cannabis into the UK in each year since 2020 by (a) age, (b) sex, (c) nationality and (d) country of departure.


Answered by
Sarah Jones Portrait
Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Home Office)
This question was answered on 3rd September 2026

Border Force has seized record amounts of drugs in recent years, including record quantities of cannabis. Information on Border Force drug seizures is published through the Government's drug seizure statistics and migration transparency data. Publicly available data show that Border Force seized approximately 205,022 kilograms of cannabis between January 2020 and March 2026. .https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seizures-of-drugs-in-england-and-wales-financial-year-ending-2025/seizures-of-drugs-in-england-and-wales-financial-year-ending-2025

The Home Office does not hold verified statistics suitable for publication on the number of air passengers arrested for importing cannabis into the United Kingdom, broken down by age, sex, nationality or country of departure.

The Home Office also does not hold verified annual statistics suitable for publication on the quantity of cannabis seized specifically from air passengers in the format requested.

Border Force works relentlessly to prevent illicit drugs from entering the United Kingdom and continues to work closely with law enforcement, health services and international partners to disrupt criminal supply chains. The Government remains committed to tackling drug-related harm, including through prevention and enforcement.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/migration-transparency-datahttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/seizures-of-drugs-in-england-and-wales

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