Two foreign nationals who flew from Malaga to Belfast with almost 27 kilos of cannabis worth £200,000 have been sentenced.
National Crime Agency officers started an investigation into Jason Chah Kok Siong, 27, and Ho Wen Feng, 25, from Malaysia, after they arrived at Belfast International Airport on 13 December 2024.
While unloading baggage from the plane, ground crew noticed a strong smell of cannabis from a silver coloured suitcase and alerted airport police and Border Force officers.
The bag was released to the carousel to identify who would collect it and Siong and Feng were observed removing the bag and attempting to leave the airport.
They were intercepted and their suitcases were opened to find 52 vacuum sealed packaged totalling 26.7 kilos.
The drugs would have been worth around £200,000 at street level.
NCA investigators interviewed Siong and Feng and both said they had met a man at a Malaga hotel and were given two suitcases to be brought to Northern Ireland.
They told the court they believed they were transporting edible birds’ nests and did not know about the drugs.
They were charged with possession of class B drug with intent to supply, possession of a class B drug and importing a controlled drug.
They appeared at Antrim Crown Court today where they were sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. They will also be deported from the UK.
NCA Branch Commander David Cunningham said: “These convictions should serve as a warning to would-be couriers – you could face life changing consequences. The NCA will continue in our work to prevent drugs from reaching the streets of Northern Ireland.
“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.”
25 June 2025
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