British 'drug mule' couple arrested within minutes of landing at Istanbul airport as friends issue desperate plea
A British couple from the West Midlands have been arrested at Istanbul airport after being accused of being part of a 'drug mule' operation designed to smuggle two suitcases of cannabis into the UK.
According to The Sun, Holly Cooper and boyfriend Taylor Johnson, both 20, had been returning to the UK from Thailand on 26 April and were set to change planes in Istanbul for the final leg of their journey before they were arrested.
The family are reportedly claiming that the couple were questioned at Istanbul airport before being put in a holding cell where Taylor was allegedly beaten up.
They've since been formally arrested and are now waiting for some update in their case as to when a potential trial might be.
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It might be some distance off and the couple have been assigned public defenders, though a friend of Taylor has organised a GoFundMe to try and raise some money towards his legal fees.
The Sun reports that if the couple are convicted of drug smuggling they could be facing between 10 and 30 years behind bars.
A family friend told the outlet they were 'good kids', saying: "Ok, they’ve done something stupid this time, but everyone makes mistakes.
"They’ve been recruited and groomed by bigger criminals and exploited by them. They are alone in a Turkish prison. It’s shocking and apparently Taylor has been beaten up. The families are in bits."
A Foreign Office spokesperson told LADbible: "We are providing support to two British nationals detained in Turkey as well as their families, and are in touch with local authorities."
A number of Brits have been detained on suspicion of being 'drug mules', with the likes of Bella Culley arrested and charged with drug offences in Georgia before she made a plea bargain and was able to return to the UK.
Other Brits abroad who have been arrested after being accused of transporting drugs include:
Charlotte May Lee
Former flight attendant Lee, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport in Sri Lanka in May 2025, accused of having two suitcases containing 46kg of synthetic drug 'kush'.
She was travelling from Bangkok, Thailand and claims the drugs were placed in her luggage without her knowledge. She faces up to 25 years in prison.
Cameron Bradford
Bradford, 24, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was arrested in Munich after smuggling 20kg of marijuana from Thailand
She says she was threatened by a man who employed her as an escort and forced to take the suitcase.
Ultimately, she was handed a two-year suspended sentence.
Jonathan Collyer, Lisa Stocker and Phineas Float
Collyer, 38, and Stocker, 39, from Hastings, were detained in Indonesia after police found 993 grams of cocaine hidden in a powdered dessert mix.
Float, 31, was detained as an accomplice two days later.
The trio had been facing the death penalty under Indonesia's strict drug laws, but were instead jailed for a year.
Why are Brits being targeted by drug smuggling gangs?
Speaking to the Daily Mail, an expert explained British nationals were being approached by drug smuggling gangs due to the strength of their passports, but this could end up meaning Brits are treated with more suspicion by airport authorities.
"That's why they are being picked up more, because they are being picked on more. If it's a run on Brits, this could sustain for years," they said.
Gary Carroll of the Claymore Advisory Group added that young women in particular were being targeted due to their interest in global travel.
"Smuggling drugs or packages where they're not entirely sure of the contents in exchange for free holidays and cash seems quite a lucrative offer," he said, explaining that free flights and accommodation were being used to lure travellers.
Joe Harker