Influencer facing jail for smuggling £150,000 worth of cannabis into Britain

The 23-year-old, from the Broomhouse area of Glasgow, operates a beauty venture called Brows by Ellie and has built a substantial following through promoting nightlife events and various brands across the city.

Border Force officials apprehended Crampsie at Edinburgh Airport after discovering the drugs concealed within her luggage following her return from a trip to Thailand.

She had flown into the Scottish capital on an Air France service from Thailand, travelling via Paris, when she was intercepted on April 16 last year.

Upon examination of her suitcase, officers uncovered 17 individually sealed vacuum packages hidden inside.

The court was told these parcels contained a total of 17.7 kilograms of cannabis, with authorities estimating the street value at somewhere between £115,000 and £151,000.

Prosecutor Emma Laing outlined how the discovery unfolded, telling the court: "She was asked the usual questions by the officer and she confirmed she had travelled from Thailand. Her luggage was opened and a number of vacuum packages were within."

Crampsie was subsequently taken into custody at the airport.

Defence solicitor Mr Hodge informed the court that Crampsie is currently single and benefits from parental support, noting that both her mother and father were present in the courtroom.

He requested that her bail arrangements remain in place whilst a social work assessment is compiled, describing her previous criminal history as "unremarkable in the context of this offence".

Sheriff Graeme Watson opted to postpone sentencing to allow for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty assessment.

He cautioned Crampsie: "I'm going to adjourn sentencing in this case to allow the court to obtain a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty assessment. In the meantime I am going to continue your bail conditions.

"That should be no prejudgment of what comes next, all sentencing options will be open to me on the next occasion, do you understand that?"

Crampsie's case emerges amid a dramatic surge in drug smuggling attempts at British airports.

National Crime Agency data reveals that airline passenger arrests for cannabis importation have soared by 3,625 per cent in recent years.

In 2022, just 20 air travellers were detained for attempting to bring cannabis into the country, but this figure climbed to 134 in 2023 and reached 745 in 2024.

During the first nine months of 2025 alone, 680 passengers were apprehended for similar offences.

Last month, Nicole Hutchinson, a 25-year-old mother of three, received a prison sentence after being caught at Manchester Airport with nearly 50kg of cannabis worth £100,000.

Former nurse Levi-April Whalley, 31, avoided custody last year despite attempting to smuggle drugs valued at approximately £160,000 from New York to Birmingham.