A Glasgow beauty boss is facing jail after Border Force nabbed her trying to smuggle nearly £151,000 worth of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport last month.
Beauty Star Ellie Crampsie Busted at Edinburgh
Ellie Crampsie, 23, the face behind popular beauty brand Brows by Ellie, pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday. Officers uncovered almost 18kg of vacuum-sealed cannabis in her luggage after she landed from Thailand via Paris on April 16.
Prosecutor Emma Laing revealed: “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.”
Jail or Bail? Sentencing on Hold but Prison is Still on the Cards
Judge Graeme Watson delayed sentencing to review social work and liberty restriction reports. He warned all options, including jail, remain on the table despite letting Crampsie stay out on bail for now.
Defence counsel Mr Hodge told the court Ellie is single, backed by supportive parents present in court, and has a “clean” criminal record for this kind of crime.
UK Airport Cannabis Smuggling Skyrockets
Ellie’s bust is part of a huge spike in cannabis smuggling arrests at UK airports. National Crime Agency figures lay it bare:
- Just 20 caught in 2022
- 134 arrests in 2023
- A massive leap to 745 in 2024
- 680 already arrested in first nine months of 2025
Not the First Influencer High on Trouble
Ellie isn’t alone. Last month, Nicole Hutchinson, 25, a mother-of-three, was jailed for trying to smuggle £100,000 of cannabis through Manchester Airport to fund beauty treatments.
Hutchinson was caught with accomplice Kia Underwood, who had nearly 50kg of cannabis in two suitcases.
And ex-nurse Levi-April Whalley, 31, received a suspended sentence last year after trying to move over 35kg of cannabis, worth £160,000, from New York to Birmingham.
Ellie Crampsie will face sentencing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court once all assessments are completed. Jail time looks likely as UK authorities crack down hard on airport drug smuggling.
