Glasgow influencer jailed for smuggling £150,000 of cannabis

An aspiring Scottish social media influencer has been jailed for 16 months after being caught smuggling £150,000 of cannabis at Edinburgh Airport.

Ellie Crampsie admitted carrying 17kg of the Class B drug in a suitcase as she travelled home from a holiday in Thailand in April last year.

The 23-year-old, from Broomhouse in Glasgow, told Edinburgh Sheriff Court she had been forced into carrying the drugs by an ex-boyfriend.

Crampsie, who is known as a promoter on Glasgow's nightlife and events scene, has about 5,500 followers on Instagram and 6,000 on TikTok.

Sheriff Graeme Watson acknowledged she had been "naive and potentially taken advantage of" by her ex.

He said: "You knew your former partner had been involved in drugs and he asked you to check in his luggage.

"Your role was one of carrying the cannabis in your luggage and I accept there was a power imbalance in the relationship."

Crampsie was stopped by border control officers after arriving on an Air France flight from Thailand via Paris.

The suitcase, which Crampsie said belonged to her ex-boyfriend, also contained female clothing.

The value of the drugs was estimated to be between £115,000 and £151,000.

Crampsie's lawyer, Michael Poggi, said she had played a "lesser role" in the transport of the drugs and there was "evidence of pressure" from others.

He told the court a "much older person" had a "controlling influence" over her.

Sentencing, Sheriff Watson accepted Crampsie had a "lesser degree of culpability" but said her decision was "reckless" and it merited a jail sentence.