A lorry driver was left feeling like a silly sausage after he was caught smuggling millions of cigarettes in a delivery van packed with black pudding.

Daniel Ossowski has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison after a raid by Border Force officials discovered the illegal cargo, estimated to be worth £1.8 million in lost duty.

He was arrested at the Port of Dover after the search on September 17, having hidden 6.4 million Richmond Blue and NZ Slim cigarettes behind pallets of black pudding.

Ossowski, 38, from Tczew in Poland, pleaded guilty to fraudulently evading excise duty at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday.

He was sentenced to two years and 10 months on the same day.

Tom Hunnisett, assistant director at HMRC's fraud investigation service, said: “Ossowski was wrong to think he could get away with smuggling tobacco into the UK.

"The illegal tobacco trade has a harmful effect on legitimate businesses and deprives us of money needed to fund our vital public services.

"The duty evaded on this illicit tobacco was enough to pay the starting salaries of 79 nurses in Kent for a year."

Fully qualified nurses start on salaries of £23,023 in the NHS.

Paul Morgan, director of Border Force South East and Europe said: “This is a significant seizure, had the smuggling attempt not been stopped it could have cost the Treasury approximately £1.8m in unpaid duty.

"By stopping the shipment Border Force has starved those responsible of the proceeds of their criminality.

“People tempted by cheap cigarettes and tobacco should think again.”

Anyone who has information about the smuggling, selling or storing of illicit tobacco should report it online to HMRC, or contact its Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.