A lorry driver who smuggled 400 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco into the UK has been jailed for 12 months.

Border Force officers at Dover Ferry Port found the illegal load stashed behind industrial bags of aggregate when they stopped Romanian lorry driver Daniel Pacurar, 32, in October this year.

The boxes of tobaccos were discovered after an x-ray scan revealed irregularities in the load, and the matter was referred to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for investigation.

The duty evaded on the tobacco was £79,240.

Alan Tully, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: "Pacurar thought his crimes wouldn’t be discovered, but didn’t account for the x-ray scanner that revealed his hidden cargo. We continue to work with other enforcement agencies to reduce the availability of illicit tobacco, which costs the UK around £2.4 billion a year in stolen revenue.

"Don’t let criminals profit by undermining legitimate retailers. Anyone with information about the smuggling or illegal sale of tobacco can report it by calling our 24-hour Hotline on 0800 59 5000."

Daniel Pacurar pleaded guilty at Canterbury Magistrates Court on October 29, and was jailed for 12 months at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday December 14 2016.