A Lithuanian lorry driver has been jailed for five years and four months after attempting to smuggle three kilos of cocaine into the UK via Dover.

The drugs, which had an estimated street value of £387,000, were discovered after Border Force officers in Dover stopped the driver at the freight controls in the Eastern Docks on September 22, 2014.

After questioning the driver, Ceslovas Gailius, a detector dog was used to search the vehicle.

Dog, Arnie, gave a positive indication to a black rucksack that had been placed between pallets in the lorry’s load of car parts. Officers opened the rucksack and found three cling filmed-wrapped packages of white powder which reacted positively to a field test for cocaine.

Gailius was arrested and an investigation carried out by the National Crime Agency.

He pleaded guilty at a hearing at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday, January 5 and was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment the same day.

Director of Border Force South East and Europe, Paul Morgan, said: “This was an excellent seizure and I would like to pay tribute to the Border Force officers who play a crucial role in protecting the UK from illegal drugs every day.

“We work closely with law enforcement colleagues, including the NCA, to prevent drug trafficking and do all we can to put those responsible behind bars.”

Border Force officers use hi-tech search equipment to combat immigration crime and detect banned and restricted goods that smugglers attempt to bring into the country.

They use an array of search techniques including sniffer dogs, carbon dioxide detectors, heartbeat monitors and scanners - as well as visual searches - to find well-hidden stowaways, illegal drugs, firearms and tobacco which would otherwise end up causing harm to local people, businesses and communities.

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