The National Crime Agency (NCA) says it has seen a huge surge in the amount of cannabis and cocaine being seized from arrivals at UK airports, despite luggage going through checks before departure.

“What worries us is the normalisation of bags that have gone through stringent security controls that are full of cannabis,” the Director General Graeme Biggar said.

“We’ve had one flight with half a tonne of drugs in bags on it,” his colleague Rob Jones added.

Speaking to LBC, he said: “Over the years, we’ve gotten very good at investigating sophisticated couriers who have false compartments in suitcases, but what we’re seeing at the moment is a growth of people checking in bags literally full of drugs.

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“These have 30kg in a suitcase, with no concealment, shrink wrapped cannabis and multiple couriers on the same flight.”

2023 saw the biggest seizure of cannabis from inbound air passengers on record – with 12 tonnes found in suitcases.

More than double that has already been discovered so far this year.

The NCA, which investigates serious and organised crime in the UK has warned international partners that they need to improve their systems – with a suggestion that transit checks in Europe are also missing the hauls.

“You’re going to get caught if you do this,” Rob Jones told LBC, “but somehow there seems to be a normalisation where drug couriers feel like they’re not going to get caught.

“It really concerns us – and if people think they’re okay to smuggle cannabis from the likes of North America – where it’s legal – you’re wrong.”

The trend was revealed as the authority also warned that it’s never been more dangerous to take drugs in the UK – with the emergence of synthetic opioids like Nitazenes.

Graeme Biggar, who leads the organisation, told us that while it’s most commonly used to lace heroin, there’s a concern that more recreational drugs will become lethal as a result of Nitazenes.

“If you take a pill or a powder or anything, if you take a pill or a powder or anything that could have been adulterated with one of those really dangerous substances which are new and coming into the supply chain, there’s an increased risk to you. And that’s why it’s never been so dangerous to take drugs.”