UK warns young travellers against accepting ‘free holidays’ from drug gangs

Young travelers in the UK are being warned by the Home Office against jeopardizing their futures by accepting offers of free holidays or luxury trips from criminal gangs. These gangs seek to recruit individuals as drug couriers, exploiting them for profit.

The warning, issued by Border Force ahead of the peak summer holiday season, comes amid a significant rise in cannabis smuggling through UK airports. Organized crime groups are increasingly targeting school and university leavers, first-time travelers, and young holidaymakers through social media platforms. The number of cannabis smugglers intercepted upon arrival in the UK by air surged from 142 in 2023 to 976 in 2025. In the first six months of 2026 alone, 600 air passenger couriers were arrested at UK airports.

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Organised criminal gangs are exploiting young people for profit – living it up while leaving their courier victims facing lifetime consequences.

Border Force stated that criminal gangs entice victims with promises of free luxury holidays and business-class flights before coercing them into carrying cannabis into the UK. As part of a nationwide awareness campaign, Border Force advises travelers to refuse such offers, particularly to destinations where cannabis is legal, including Thailand, Canada, and parts of the United States. They also urge travelers to ensure they know the contents of their luggage, avoid carrying bags for others, ignore social media approaches, and retain control of their passports.

"Organised criminal gangs are exploiting young people for profit – living it up while leaving their courier victims facing lifetime consequences," said Border Force Lead Officer for Safeguarding, Kate Goldstone. "Our message to young travellers is simple. If an offer feels too good to be true, it probably is." She added that a single decision before a holiday could lead to a criminal record, a prison sentence, and years of lost opportunities. Border Force highlighted that anyone caught smuggling cannabis faces arrest, prosecution, a criminal record, up to 14 years' imprisonment, and restrictions on future international travel.

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Our message to young travellers is simple. If an offer feels too good to be true, it probably is.