Man Smuggled Cocaine Hidden In Car Dashboard

A 61-year-old West Midlands man was sentenced to four and half years imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court on 3 September for attempting to smuggle approximately five kilos of cocaine into the UK through Dover docks.

The estimated street value of the drugs is £200,000.

Stuart MacDonald, from Halesowen, was stopped by UK Border Agency officers at the inward tourist controls at Dover's Eastern Docks on 27 January 2010. He said he had been to Paris for his sister-in-law's funeral.

Officers searched the Mercedes car he was driving and found a black wrapped package containing the cocaine in the dashboard behind the glove box.

MacDonald had previously pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court on 5 August.

Malcolm Bragg, Assistant Director of Criminal and Financial Investigations for the UK Border Agency, said: "This is a strong warning to anyone who believes that cocaine smuggling is acceptable. Clearly, the view of the courts is that it is a very serious matter and UK Border Agency officers will remain vigilant at our ports and airports.

"Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to drug smuggling should call our hotline 0800 59 5000."