Drug Mules In Thailand: How Young Women Are Groomed & How to Stay Safe

In recent weeks, two young British women were arrested thousands of miles apart – one in Georgia, the other in Sri Lanka. Both had flown from Bangkok. Both were allegedly carrying large quantities of cannabis. And both may have been manipulated into becoming drug mules by international crime networks.

It’s a disturbing trend, and one that’s growing fast.

If you’re a parent, or a young person planning travel to Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, this guide is essential reading. You need to understand how these schemes work, how traffickers groom their victims, and most importantly how to stay safe, say no, and get out if something doesn’t feel right.

Opinion: The Cruelty of Victim Blaming

Before we get started, I want to make my personal feelings known on the disturbing chorus of public judgment in the wake of the arrests of two young British women in Thailand. This isn't restricted to just these two cases, and quite often is the attitude towards mules that land up in custody.

Social media, comment sections, and even news presenters have been quick to condemn with comments like “They knew what they were doing” or “They got what they deserved.” Some point to Instagram, photos of travel, shopping, or a seemingly glamorous lifestyle as if these are signs of guilt, or worse, as if they justify the extreme punishment these girls now face.

But these knee-jerk reactions ignore the complex, uncomfortable truth: young people, especially women, are targeted precisely because of their naivety / vulnerability, not their criminal intent. These are girls in their late teens and early twenties, caught in the grey area between childhood and adulthood. Yes, they may be legally considered adults, but emotional maturity varies greatly at that age. Many are still figuring out who they are, travelling to escape difficult circumstances, chasing adventure, and trying to gain a sense of identity and independence.

Often disillusioned with life in the UK and financially insecure, they become easy prey for traffickers offering money, purpose, and belonging – and at the time, and most importantly, a way to stay in Thailand / keep travelling.

What social media doesn’t show are the pressures behind the scenes. We don’t know whether these young women were isolated from their families, manipulated, coerced, or too frightened to back out. We don’t know what mental health struggles they may have been hiding, or how far the traffickers went to ensure silence and compliance. These are not seasoned cartel operatives; they are the disposable foot soldiers in someone else’s criminal enterprise.

To claim that they “deserve” to spend 20–25 years in a foreign prison for one poor, possibly coerced decision is not just cruel; it’s a profound failure of empathy. Yes, we can and should talk about personal responsibility, but we must do so with an understanding of context, coercion, and youth. Judging them harshly does nothing to dismantle the criminal networks that truly profit from this trade. It simply adds another layer of punishment onto those who have already been used.

“We’ve all been young and reckless; many of us have experienced being footloose and fancy-free in Thailand – hedonistic and careless at times. There are moments in my life I look back on and think, ‘Gosh, what was I thinking?'”

There for the grace of God go I.

Grooming Tactics: How It Starts

Charlotte May Lee, 21, flew solo from Thailand to Sri Lanka, allegedly carrying £1.2 million worth of synthetic cannabis. Bella May Culley, just 18, was arrested in Georgia with 14kg of cannabis.

Both had flown from Bangkok, less than 48 hours apart. It is suspected that the two cases are linked in some way.

This isn’t always about hardened criminals forcing people under threat. Quite often, it begins with kindness and charm.

Classic grooming tactics:

1. The Romantic Trap: A man befriends you. He’s attractive and generous. He pays for meals, travel, even gifts. You feel desired and a new sense of belonging in your adopted country. You blindly fall into a holiday romance.
2. The Big Brother Figure: Sometimes it’s an older expat, mentor figure, or group of “new friends” who offer opportunities: access to areas of society off-limits to foreign tourists, freelance work to help pay for your extended stay, help with visa issues (that circumvent the rules). Ultimately, you become indebted on an emotional level.
3. The Business Pitch: You’re told it’s legit. “The laws are relaxed here.” “It’s just weed.” “You’ll make easy money and we've paid off officers at both ends.” You’re shown others doing the same. You start to believe it’s normal.

Spot the Red Flags

Here’s how to know you’re being manipulated:

• They pay for everything early on and don’t let you contribute.
• They isolate you from friends or family.
• They talk down to your concerns or mock your worries.
• They want you to carry something for them across borders.
• They promise it’s legal “in this country” or “everyone does it.”
• They pressure you last-minute, often right before a flight.
• You feel a pit in your stomach but are scared to say no.
• If you feel unsure, anxious, or manipulated, that’s your gut trying to save your life.

Grooming is slow and calculated.

How to Get Out, Even at the Last Minute

Most people start to awaken from the coercion late o. Everything becomes very real once the suitcase with the packages is in fron t of you. But there is usually time to get out. Quite often there is a whole night between receiving the bag and your flight. It probably isn't too late, here's what you can do:

1. Walk into a police station and explain that someone is trying to get you to carry something for them and that you need protection.
2. Call your embassy and explain the same.
3. Call your parents or whoever you can get hold of back home.
4. If you have to run away from your current accommodation before the expected flight date, do so. Leave your belongings if you have to. Hotels and hostels and cheap. Find one, check in, and make the relevant calls.
5. If you have been put in a taxi and are on the way to the airport, ask the driver to take you to the nearest police station, hotel, or busy public place and seek help there. You can also pretend to be sick or say you forgot your passport to create a reason to stop.
6. If you're at the airport, go to the airport police or a help desk and say: “Someone asked me to carry this, and I don’t feel safe because I don't know what it is.”
7. Do not board the flight. Missing a plane is better than risking 25 years in jail. Even if you’ve boarded, you can ask to get off the plane. You can then discreetly alert authorities .

To Parents: How to Keep Your Kids Safe

You can’t chain your child to home once they are 16, as at this age they can travel without parental consent. But you can give them tools to think critically, trust their instincts, and know you’re a safe place to turn.

Before they go:

• Talk openly about grooming and coercion.
• Discuss recent cases and show them this blog post.
• Agree on code words or signals they can use in a call if they’re uncomfortable.
• Emphasise they can always come home, no judgment.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Problem Is Rising

In Thailand, cannabis laws were relaxed in 2022, legalising local possession and sales under certain conditions. But this has created a dangerous misunderstanding among young travellers. Many think the drug is legal to carry out of the country in large quantities, and that it is legal everywhere in Asia, or that carrying cannabis between countries is no big deal, as long as it is legal in the host country.

But here’s the reality:

UK law hasn’t changed: bringing cannabis into or out of the country is still a serious criminal offence.

In Sri Lanka, Georgia, and many Asian and Eastern European countries, cannabis smuggling carries decades-long sentences, sometimes even the death penalty.

In 2024, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) reported a huge spike in drug mule arrests linked to travel from Thailand. Over 460 smugglers entered the UK from Bangkok alone in 12 months.

These criminal gangs are exploiting the confusion, targeting inexperienced travellers to take the legal risk for them.

Final Advice: Stay Sharp, Stay Free

Whether you’re a parent or a traveller, the message is simple:

1. If someone asks you to carry anything for them across borders, say no.
2. If you feel uncomfortable, anxious, or trapped, walk away.
3. If your child calls with doubts or panic, listen, believe them, and help them get out.

Don’t worry about lost flights, disappointing someone, or sounding dramatic.

Worry about losing your freedom.

You’re not stupid. You’re not gullible.

You’re being targeted by professionals who know exactly what they’re doing.

Stay smart. Stay safe. And share this with someone you love.

My Final Thought: Why Aren’t We Going After the Real Criminals?

One question that continues to disturb many people, including myself is: why aren’t authorities doing more to dismantle the networks behind these crimes, rather than just punishing the most vulnerable?

Historically, it has been well-documented that drug mules are often young women, single mothers, drug addicts, and people living in poverty, or individuals with a history of trauma or abuse. Authorities know this. And yet, time and time again, these vulnerable, often gullible people are the ones who bear the full weight of the law.

There is a smarter, more humane, and more strategic approach that law enforcement could take: offer non-prosecution in exchange for cooperation. Catch the mule, but instead of locking them away for decades, work with them. Allow them to lead authorities to the traffickers, the recruiters, the middlemen, and ultimately the people in charge. Set up stings. Follow the chain upwards.

A policy like this, properly executed, could shake organised crime networks to their core. If mules became potential informants instead of disposable pawns, the entire business model of cartels and traffickers would be under threat.

So why doesn’t this happen more often? Why is there still such a heavy focus on prosecuting the lowest rung of the ladder? Some will point to international law, politics, or resourcing, but at the heart of it is a justice system that too often prioritises punishment over prevention, not to mention corrupt officials. It is easier to imprison a frightened young woman than it is to infiltrate a criminal network. But that doesn’t make it right.

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