A Scottish social media influencer is facing imprisonment after being apprehended for attempting to smuggle cannabis valued at over £150,000 into the United Kingdom. Ellie Crampsie, 23, from Glasgow, was discovered with the Class B drug concealed in her luggage upon arrival at Edinburgh Airport on April 16, 2025.
Crampsie had flown from Thailand via Paris on an Air France flight before being stopped by Border Force officers. At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, it was revealed that authorities found 17 sealed packages containing a total of 17.7 kilograms of cannabis, with an estimated value ranging between £115,000 and £151,000.
The influencer, who also runs a beauty business named Brows by Ellie, admitted guilt to charges of being involved in the supply of cannabis during her court appearance on Thursday. Prosecutor Emma Laing described the moment of arrest, stating that Crampsie confirmed her travel from Thailand when questioned, after which her luggage was searched and the vacuum-sealed packages were uncovered.
Defence counsel Mr Hodge noted that Crampsie is currently single and benefits from the support of her parents, who were present in court. He requested that her bail be extended while a social work report is prepared, characterizing her previous criminal record as minor relative to the current offence.
Sheriff Graeme Watson decided to postpone sentencing to allow time for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty assessment to be completed.
Meanwhile, the number of British nationals caught smuggling drugs via air travel has surged dramatically in recent years. Data from the National Crime Agency shows a 3,625 percent increase in passengers arrested for smuggling on airlines. In 2022, only 20 air passengers were detained for attempting to import cannabis, but this number rose to 134 in 2023 and further escalated to 745 in 2024. In the first nine months of 2025 alone, 680 passengers were apprehended for cannabis smuggling.
In a significant development last month, Nicole Hutchinson, a 25-year-old mother of three, was sentenced to jail after being caught smuggling cannabis worth £100,000 to finance her beauty treatments. She was arrested at Manchester Airport alongside Kia Underwood, 28, who had two suitcases containing nearly 50 kilograms of the drug.
Notably, in 2024, Levi-April Whalley, a former nurse aged 31, avoided jail despite attempting to smuggle over 35 kilograms of cannabis valued at approximately £160,000. She had concealed the drugs inside two suitcases on a flight from New York to Birmingham and received a suspended sentence for the offence.
