In a case that has stunned both legal experts and the public alike, two young women from Blackburn, Lancashire were caught red-handed smuggling over £160,000 worth of cannabis into the UK after returning from what appeared to be a glamorous trip to New York City. What makes this case even more shocking is not just the scale of the drug smuggling—but the women’s claim that they were groomed online by criminals who preyed on their vulnerability.
Sophie Bannister and Levi-April Whalley, both 30, were intercepted at Birmingham International Airport in December 2023. Customs officers discovered a staggering 35 kilograms of cannabis stuffed into their luggage. Yet in April 2025, instead of serving prison time, both women walked free from court with suspended sentences. The reason? They convinced the judge they were manipulated by an individual who contacted them through Instagram and offered them a seemingly innocent holiday in exchange for a simple favor.
Their story has since ignited a wave of public discourse on how drug gangs are increasingly turning to social media to exploit ordinary people—particularly those facing personal and financial hardships. It also raises broader questions: How do we define accountability when manipulation is involved? Should being groomed excuse involvement in serious crime?
Let’s unpack this unusual and deeply troubling case, exploring the timeline, legal implications, and the wider issue of online grooming in the digital age.
The Arrest at Birmingham Airport
The dramatic unraveling of this case began on December 9, 2023, when Sophie Bannister and Levi-April Whalley landed at Birmingham International Airport following their trip to New York. They were stopped at customs and asked to open their luggage. What officers found inside their suitcases was far from designer clothes or souvenirs.
Instead, customs officials discovered 34 heat-sealed packages of cannabis, divided between the women’s bags. Whalley’s suitcase contained around 19 kilograms, while Bannister’s held approximately 16.5 kilograms. The street value of the haul was estimated at more than £160,000.
It didn’t take long for the women to confess. They admitted to packing their own bags and fully understood that what they were doing was illegal. They pleaded guilty to charges of fraudulent evasion of a prohibition under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.
News of the arrest quickly made national headlines. Two fashionable, seemingly ordinary women caught smuggling drugs from America? It was a story that shocked many—and one that became even more complex when their claims of being groomed online surfaced.
Who Are Sophie Bannister and Levi-April Whalley?
Far from hardened criminals, Bannister and Whalley were described in court as vulnerable, emotionally troubled women who were lured into a criminal scheme through manipulation and false promises. Both women are from Blackburn, a working-class town in Lancashire. Prior to their arrest, they had no previous convictions.
Court records revealed that they were each going through challenging personal situations. Financial difficulties, mental health issues, and a general sense of desperation left them vulnerable to exploitation. According to their legal teams, these factors played a critical role in their decision to accept the suspicious “holiday” to New York.
What made the story all the more tragic was its relatability. These were not career criminals, nor were they masterminds of a complex operation. They were everyday people who made an extraordinarily bad decision during a vulnerable moment.
One key aspect that emerged during trial was that Whalley had since become a mother and had shown signs of reform. Both women expressed deep remorse for their actions and cooperated fully with authorities during the investigation.
The Alleged Grooming Plot via Instagram
The heart of their defense rested on a claim that’s become increasingly common in modern crime cases: digital grooming. Bannister told investigators she was approached via Instagram by a man she had previously met during a trip to Marbella, Spain. This man promised them an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City, including flashy accommodations, meals, and entertainment.
In return, the only thing they had to do was bring a “package” back to the UK. They were allegedly told the package contained expensive watches—not illegal drugs. However, prosecutors argued that this defense was difficult to believe given the weight and size of the suitcases and the secrecy involved in how the packages were sealed.
Even so, the court accepted that the women had been targeted and manipulated online. They were not ringleaders or traffickers—they were the “mules,” expendable players in a larger, darker network of digital drug trafficking. This pattern of recruiting couriers through social media is becoming more common, according to law enforcement officials.
In fact, recent data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime shows a sharp rise in criminal grooming through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Vulnerable people—particularly women and youths—are being recruited with promises of money, travel, and status. Many don’t realize the legal consequences until it’s too late.
The Smuggling Operation Unraveled
When Bannister and Whalley packed their bags in New York, they allegedly did so believing they were simply carrying luxury goods back home. However, as border agents opened their luggage, the reality came crashing down.
Each woman’s suitcase was stuffed with heat-sealed bricks of cannabis. The packages were professionally wrapped, designed to evade detection. But experienced customs officials immediately flagged the bags due to their weight and odor. A full search revealed the 35 kilograms of illegal cannabis, making this one of the largest seizures of personal-transported cannabis in recent years.
After being detained, the women admitted to knowing the packages were suspicious but claimed they were unaware of the extent of their illegality. They were charged and released on bail pending trial, where they later pleaded guilty to smuggling offenses.
During the trial at Preston Crown Court, the prosecution laid out the facts clearly. But the defense attorneys emphasized their clients’ lack of criminal history, full cooperation, and documented evidence of being targeted by a larger criminal network.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
The sentencing hearing in April 2025 was watched closely. Despite the seriousness of the crime, Judge Heather Lloyd handed both women suspended sentences—20 months for Bannister and 16 months for Whalley, suspended for 18 months. The court also mandated rehabilitation activity requirements and community service.
Judge Lloyd acknowledged the gravity of their offense but stated that the court had to consider context. “You were both vulnerable and exploited,” she said. “You cooperated fully and have shown genuine remorse. This sentence is a chance to rebuild, not destroy.”
The ruling sent ripples through the public and media, with some seeing it as too lenient while others viewed it as just and compassionate.
