A former Asda manager who attempted to smuggle 30kg of cannabis through Manchester Airport while claiming it was “only tobacco” has been jailed for 20 months.
Louisa De Marco, 53, was caught with 31.25 kilos of cannabis stuffed in two suitcases after returning from Thailand on May 8, 2025, where she had been promised £10,000 for transporting the drugs.
The Bradford resident initially denied the luggage was hers and insisted to Border Force officials that the suitcases contained only tobacco, Manchester Crown Court heard.
The Failed Smuggling Attempt
De Marco had her flights to Thailand paid for by criminals who offered her the substantial sum to transport the drugs back to the UK. The court heard she was also promised that a friend’s travel expenses would be covered.
When Border Force officials discovered the secret stash spread across two suitcases at Manchester Airport, De Marco first attempted to deny ownership of the luggage and claimed she had not packed them.
Prosecuting barrister Chloe Fordham told the court how the former supermarket manager’s suitcases were “stuffed with 31.25 kilos of cannabis” despite her protestations that they contained tobacco.
Breaking Under Pressure
During police interviews, De Marco broke down and revealed she had met someone in Thailand who offered her money to transport the drugs. She claimed the criminal network behind the operation had paid for both her and a friend’s flights to the Southeast Asian country.
The 53-year-old said she was offered £10,000 for the smuggling operation, though the court heard she never received this payment. At the time of the offence, De Marco had been declared unfit to work due to physical and mental health reasons.
Her defence argued there had been a degree of “intimidation” from the criminal network. De Marco claimed they had threatened to cancel her return flights to the UK if she backed out of the deal, which would have left her stranded in Thailand.
Judge’s Verdict
Recorder Sarah Griffin sentenced the former Asda manager to 20 months behind bars, telling her she would serve half the term in prison.
The judge dismissed suggestions De Marco was coerced, stating she had entered into the deal with her “eyes wide open” and “knew exactly” what she was doing.
“You knew exactly what you were involving yourself in,” the judge told De Marco during sentencing.
De Marco, of Broadway, Bradford, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug.
Part of Wider Smuggling Crisis
The case comes amid what authorities describe as an epidemic of drug smuggling from Thailand to the UK. The National Crime Agency (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, 26,924kg of cannabis was seized from around 750 smugglers flying into UK airports – nearly five times more than the 5,609kg seized in all of 2023.
Manchester Airport, where De Marco was caught, saw approximately 135 arrests and 4,815kg of cannabis seized in 2024, making it the second-worst affected UK airport after Heathrow.
The dramatic increase follows Thailand’s 2022 decision to become the first Asian country to decriminalize cannabis, creating a booming industry estimated to be worth $1.2 billion by 2025.
British Drug Mules in Foreign Prisons
De Marco’s case is part of a disturbing trend, with around 13 Brits currently detained in foreign jails on drug smuggling charges. Recent cases include:
Bella Culley: The young tourist allegedly tried to smuggle a suitcase of cannabis into Georgia and is now held in a brutal ex-Soviet prison despite claiming to be pregnant. She claims she was tortured by a gang into agreeing to be a mule.
Charlotte May Lee: The 21-year-old former air stewardess was caught allegedly trying to smuggle drugs worth £1.2 million into Sri Lanka from Bangkok, claiming the 46kg of contraband was “planted” in her suitcase.
Cameron Bradford: The 21-year-old mother from Knebworth, Hertfordshire, was detained at Munich Airport on April 21 while collecting her luggage.
Isabella Daggett: Arrested just five weeks after relocating to Dubai from Yorkshire for a new job, she is now in Dubai’s prison system on drug charges. Her family says she fell in with “wrong people at the wrong time.
Sophie Bannister and Levi-April Whalley: Both 30, were stopped at Birmingham International Airport with more than 35kg of cannabis in their bags after what they claimed was a “shopping trip” to New York.
Death Penalty Threats
Three Brits are currently facing the death penalty in Bali, accused of trafficking more than £300,000 worth of cocaine onto the Indonesian island. A British couple were also charged with smuggling £1 million of cannabis from Thailand just days ago.
In recent months, several young women have been arrested trying to smuggle cannabis from Thailand, with many claiming they were duped or coerced into carrying the drugs.
Thailand’s Cannabis U-Turn
Thailand’s government has recently moved to restrict cannabis use to medical purposes only, implementing new rules requiring prescriptions as of June 27, 2025. This represents a significant reversal from their 2022 decriminalization policy.
The crackdown comes after Thai authorities reported intercepting more than 800 cannabis smugglers between October 2024 and March 2025, with over 9 tonnes of cannabis seized. Most of those arrested were foreigners, particularly British and Indian nationals.
Warning to Travelers
The NCA has issued stark warnings to travelers, emphasizing that the maximum sentence for cannabis importation in the UK is 14 years in prison. Many mules report being told sentences would be lenient or they would only face fines, but the reality is far harsher.
Organized crime groups are increasingly targeting vulnerable individuals, offering substantial sums to transport cannabis from countries where it’s legal or decriminalized. However, as De Marco’s case demonstrates, the promised payments rarely materialize, and the consequences can be life-changing.
Authorities continue to urge anyone approached to smuggle drugs to think carefully about the risks, which far outweigh any potential financial gain.
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