He lost a poker game in Thailand and ended up smuggling drugs through Manchester Airport

Archie Payne, a 26-year-old from Southampton, was caught at Manchester Airport with over 20kg of cannabis hidden in two suitcases, which he believed contained cigarettes. He claimed he was pressured into smuggling the drugs after losing a poker game in Thailand, leading to debts. Upon being stopped by an immigration officer upon his return from Bangkok, Payne admitted to being in over his head and stated that a friend had paid for his business-class flight. Prosecutors revealed he was unaware of the suitcases’ contents as he didn’t know the combination lock. At Manchester Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to drug importation and received a suspended 22-month prison sentence, alongside 15 days of rehabilitation and 200 hours of unpaid work. The judge noted the distress caused to Payne’s family around Christmas time.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News