Lorry driver jailed after £4.5 million drug smuggling attempt

A lorry driver from Chelmsford has been jailed for a total of 12 years after being found guilty of smuggling an estimated 23 kilos of heroin, 10 kilos of cocaine and over 23,000 tablets of MDMA (ecstasy) into the UK through Dover.

The drugs had a combined estimated street value of over £4.5 million - the heroin was valued as having a potential street value of up to £2.1 million, the cocaine as £1.7 million and the MDMA £71,000.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that Charlie Tomlinson, 31, was arrested on 2 August 2011 at Dover's Eastern Docks when UK Border Agency officers searched the lorry and trailer, loaded with pickled onions, he was driving.

Officers had scanned the vehicle and seen an anomaly in the roof of the trailer. The roof was then investigated and white powder could be seen on the drill. The powder tested positive to cocaine.

Bolts in the inner roof holding the outer in place were removed and the drugs were revealed hidden in the space between the two.

Tomlinson was found guilty by jury at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday (17 August 2012) and was sentenced shortly afterwards.

Malcolm Bragg from Border Force said: "This was a sophisticated drugs concealment and shows the lengths criminals will go to in attempting to evade the UK's border controls."

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