Cannabis worth £1m seized at port

Cannabis with an estimated street value of £1 million was found in a lorry coming into the country on a ferry, the UK Border Agency said today.

During routine checks on unaccompanied freight arrivals at Ramsgate, Kent, customs officers seized an estimated 500kgs of cannabis resin from a vehicle which had arrived on a ferry from Ostend, Belgium.

The drugs were discovered within a mixed load on Tuesday and were manifested as a generator.

The concealment consisted of a large red box containing eight live car batteries wired so as to provide an electrical charge. Beneath the batteries was a quantity of sand and the cannabis resin was hidden under the sand.

The case has been passed to HM Revenue & Customs' (HMRC) criminal investigators and enquiries are ongoing.

Bob Gaiger, HMRC spokesman for south-east England, said: "HMRC investigators and their UK Border Agency colleagues work closely to prevent drugs from entering the UK and harming our communities.

"Our investigations will not only focus on those transporting these deadly drugs, but also those who mastermind and finance this illegal activity.

"Anyone with information about illegal smuggling activities should call the Customs' Hotline on 0800 59 5000."