Bags of cannabis worth £5million were found inside Luis Lopes De Faria's lorry

by Paul Hooper

A lorry driver has been jailed for eight years today after smuggling more than £5m of cannabis through Dover's Eastern Docks.

Luis Lopes De Faria, 48, was stopped by customs officials in February last year when he claimed he was delivering steel from Germany to Bristol.

But Canterbury Crown Court heard that inside his trailer he had secreted nearly two tons of cannabis resin and herbal cannabis.

Police discovered the company he claimed he was delivering to in the south west was just an empty building.

De Faria, who worked for a Dutch company, said he was told by his boss that he was carrying rugs - and ordered to lie if he was stopped.

Paul Hogben, defending, said the divorcee left Portugal and went to look for work in Holland where he found work as a lorry driver.

He said: "He was poorly paid by this company, had to live in a metal container in the premises and drip fed cash, which was just enough for his basic needs.

"This was a form of slavery and he felt trapped and never able to escape. He was also bullied and a degree of pressure was put on him.

"He feels he has been used and deeply regrets his involvement."

Luis Lopes De Faria was stopped in his lorry at Dover's Eastern Docks

Judge James O'Mahony told De Faria: "In my judgment yours was a significant role. You weren't a just mule, you were a driver. Somebody who took these drugs from one empty building to another empty destination.

"The damaging effects of these drugs on people are greater because cannabis is now of much greater strength."