An American named Shawn Ross, 28, was intercepted at Manchester Airport with 36 kilograms of cannabis hidden in suitcases. Ross claimed naively, "It should have been clothes, bro", as he was detained by officials.

Hailing from California, Ross had traveled through Charlotte and Madrid before arriving in Manchester in April this year. His previous visit to Manchester less than a month earlier raised Border Force staff suspicions due to the short interval between trips.

Initially, Ross stated his intent to stay for two nights in Manchester before heading to London, yet had no onward travel arrangements. This further aroused suspicion.

Upon arrival, he declared possession of just a carry-on and one suitcase, but a search revealed two more suitcases bearing his name were found. Ross denied ownership, suggesting they belonged to a friend and feigned ignorance of their contents.

Customs officers discovered 33 vacuum-sealed cannabis packages in a black suitcase and 37 in a red one. The drugs, weighing 36.4 kilograms, were estimated to hold a street value of approximately £200,000.

When interrogated by National Crime Agency officers, Ross claimed to be transporting the suitcases for a colleague, believing they contained work clothes. He has no prior convictions in the UK or elsewhere.

Despite mitigating efforts by his lawyer, citing Ross's good character references, the presiding judge, Elliott Knopf, highlighted the severity of drug trafficking both in the UK and the US.

Ross has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, with a likely deportation back to the United States upon completion of his sentence.