Lorry driver jailed for £2m cocaine smuggling attempt

A Dutch lorry driver was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Canterbury Crown Court on 4 November after pleading guilty to cocaine smuggling through the Port of Dover.

UK Border Agency officers had stopped and questioned Gary Ouwerling on 14 July 2011 at the inward freight controls at Dover Eastern docks. During the search of his vehicle officers found a man-made hiding space in the lorry's chassis.

The space contained two holdalls which contained approximately 20 kilos of a white powder, formed into foil-wrapped one kilo "bricks", which tested positive to cocaine. The drugs had an estimated street value of over £2 million.

Ouwerling was charged with the attempted importation, and pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court on 4 November before being jailed the same day.

Malcolm Bragg, UK Border Agency's Criminal and Financial Assistant Director for the UK Border Agency, Border Force South, said: "This sentence should act as a warning to those who attempt to smuggle illegal drugs into this country.

"The UK Border Agency has the ability to detect and bring to justice those who would attempt to smuggle in illegal drugs.

"Cocaine use destroys not only the lives of individual users, but also their families and the wider community."