A LORRY driver has been jailed for 16 years for smuggling Cocaine worth nearly £1m into Dover.

Jeffrey Allen, 46, of The Ridgeway, Enfield, told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court he knew nothing about the Class A drugs hidden in the air conditioning unit of his truck.

Allen had denied smuggling 11.1kg of pure Cocaine on November 15 last year.

David Richards, prosecuting, said Allen was stopped as he arrived at Dover from the Continent and was directed into the freight lane where a vehicle search began at 10.35.

“At 1.55 it was still going on. When customs began searching the air conditioning unit, Allen became quiet and withdrawn. He had previously been helpful with the officers and talking on his mobile phone,” said Mr Richards.

In total the packets of powder weighed 15kg and the Cocaine had a street value of £980,000.

Allen said he had been making a delivery on the Continent and during the return journey to Calais made various stops. There were times when he left the lorry unattended while he went to eat but at night he slept in the cab.

He said he was using his mobile to call a woman he had been having an affair with to arrange a meeting when he got back to England.

“When I was arrested, it was a total shock. I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea the air filter had been adapted and didn’t know it contained Cocaine.

“I had never been present when the air filter was removed nor had I been approached by anybody to being anything back to the UK. When I was driving, I didn’t notice anything about the tractor unit or the vehicle’s performance.

“Had I not been stopped I would have carried on to my destination in Manchester,” said Allen.