Woman's 'Lost' Bag Found With $120K of Weed Inside

Shauna Eburne didn't rush back to Glasgow Airport in a panic.

She calmly returned in a taxi, told airline staff her luggage was missing, and waited. What she did not know — or claimed not to know — was that authorities had already found the suitcase. And what they found inside it kicked off one of the most talked-about smuggling cases in recent Scottish memory.

The Arrival

It was Feb. 25, 2025, when 54-year-old Shauna Eburne landed in Scotland, arriving at Glasgow Airport after a transatlantic journey from Toronto via Iceland.

According to multiple reports, Eburne left the airport in a taxi headed for Glasgow's city center. But she wasn't gone for long. That same afternoon, she returned to the airport to report a lost suitcase — the very one she had allegedly abandoned earlier that day.

The Discovery

What Eburne may not have anticipated was that Border Force agents had already flagged her suitcase. Around 2 p.m., during routine customs checks, officers noticed a seemingly unclaimed bag with a baggage tag bearing Eburne's name and linked to the Iceland flight.

The bag stood out — not just because it was unattended, but because of what it held.

An x-ray scan revealed suspicious contents. When officers opened the suitcase, they found 45 vacuum-sealed packages containing a green herbal substance later confirmed to be cannabis.

The total weight was just over 51 pounds, with an estimated street value of £89,000 — approximately $120,000.

The Arrest

By the time Eburne appeared at the airport's ticket desk around 4 p.m. to report her luggage missing, authorities had already connected the dots. She provided her name and details, and officers took her into custody.

She was brought to Greenock police station and later arrested by National Crime Agency officers. When questioned, Eburne allegedly told police, "I had no idea what was in the suitcase, I had no idea, I was just told to pick it up," according to the Daily Record.

Despite that claim, she pleaded guilty the following day to importing and possessing cannabis with intent to supply. The case was presented in Paisley Sheriff Court, where the prosecution noted that Eburne had no prior criminal record. She was remanded to Greenock prison, where she currently awaits sentencing, scheduled for June 30.

What Remains Unanswered

Eburne's case raises many questions that remain unanswered. If she was truly unaware of what the suitcase contained, who told her to retrieve it? Was she acting under duress or deception? Authorities have not indicated whether further arrests or investigations are expected.

The taxi driver who transported Eburne played a quiet but pivotal role in the investigation, confirming that she had left the airport and returned before ultimately reporting the luggage as lost.

A Reminder With Global Implications

Cannabis remains a Class B controlled substance in the UK and importing it without a license is illegal regardless of origin. While laws around cannabis have shifted in parts of North America, this case underscores the significant legal risks travelers can face when crossing borders with drugs — even unknowingly, as some claim.

References: A Plane Passenger Reported Her Bag Missing at the Airport. Police Found $120K of Smuggled Cannabis Inside: Reports | Woman Caught With £89K Worth of Cannabis After Abandoning Suitcase at Glasgow Airport | Glasgow Airport Traveller 'Abandoned' Suitcase With £89K of Cannabis Inside Then Reported It Lost