Smuggling case defendants Carl Haynes (left) and Dean Castle

Two men caught trying to smuggle £5m of drugs through the Port of Dover by hiding them in oil drums have been jailed for a total of 37 years.

Officials found 25kg of heroin, 80kg of amphetamine, 150kg of cannabis and 500g of ecstasy stashed inside a lorry in February 2010.

The driver, Carl Haynes, 42, was arrested and an investigation launched by the UK Border Agency.

That led to the arrest of Dean Castle, 31, the owner of a Dover-based haulage firm.

A search of his home in Harbour View Road, Dover, revealed both he and Haynes had imported drugs before.

Haynes, of Upchurch Walk, Cliftonville, and Castle denied five counts of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition of controlled drugs - one of which related to drug smuggling between November 2009 and February 2010.

But after a 13-day trial at Canterbury Crown Court, a jury found the men guilty of all charges.

Haynes was yesterday jailed for 17 years and Castle for 20 years.

Drugs and oil drums uncovered at Dover's Eastern Docks

Malcolm Bragg, a spokesman for the Border Force, said: "Drug smuggling is a vile business that exploits the misery of others for an easy profit.

"These sentences should act as a warning to those who attempt to smuggle illegal drugs into this country.

"The message is clear - if you're involved in drug smuggling, we will catch you and you will go to jail for a long time."

Judge Adele Willams told Castle: "You are an intelligent man who embarked on this criminal activity with gusto."

She told Haynes: "You were Dean Castle's able and willing lieutenant and also embarked on this with gusto. A reading on one of your text messages said: ‘bring it on.’

A third man was acquitted. He was Ryan Castle, 29, of Kitchener Road, Dover.