A couple have been sentenced to 21 months in prison after attempting to smuggle cannabis worth an estimated £200,000 through Belfast International Airport.
Jason Chah Kok Siong, 27, and Ho Wen Feng, 25, were intercepted by authorities upon arrival from Malaga on 13 December 2024. Following their prison terms, both individuals are due to be deported.
“These convictions should serve as a warning to would-be couriers – you could face life-changing consequences,” warned NCA Branch Commander David Cunningham.
Their plan began to unravel when baggage handlers detected a potent cannabis odour emanating from a silver suitcase. Ground staff promptly informed airport police and Border Force officials.
To confirm the owners, the suitcase was placed on the baggage carousel. Officers observed Siong and Feng collecting it before attempting to exit the terminal.
They were swiftly apprehended. Inside their luggage, officers uncovered 52 vacuum-sealed parcels weighing a total of 26.7kg.
At street value, the consignment was worth close to £200,000. During questioning by the National Crime Agency, both defendants claimed ignorance of the drugs. They said a man at a hotel in Malaga had handed them the suitcases, which they believed contained edible birds’ nests.
Despite this defence, they were charged with possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply, possession of a Class B drug, and importing a controlled substance.
This week, Antrim Crown Court handed each of them a 21-month custodial sentence. “The NCA will continue in our work to prevent drugs from reaching the streets of Northern Ireland,” Mr Cunningham added.
“The gangs behind importations like these don’t concern themselves with the fate of the couriers they recruit like Siong and Feng, and only care about the profits to be made from the drugs.
The NCA is working closely with our partners in Border Force and internationally to disrupt this trade and destroy the business model organised crime gangs are utilising.”
The incident highlights ongoing efforts to crack down on drug smuggling and the risks faced by those who agree to act as couriers.
