Trucker jailed for smuggling £5m of cannabis through Dover
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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."
Tuesday, February 21 2012
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