Smugglers jailed after £5 million Dover drugs haul

Two men were jailed for a total of 37 years after being found guilty of smuggling drugs worth £5 million through the port of Dover.

Carl Haynes, 42, of Palm Bay, Margate, was sentenced to 17 years and Dean Castle, 31, of Harbour View Road, Dover, was imprisoned for 20 years.

UK Border Agency officers stopped a lorry driven by Carl Haynes in February 2010 entering Dover's Eastern Docks.

After questioning Haynes, officers searched the lorry and found thirteen oil drums of lubricant allegedly heading for a company in Maidstone. 

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Officers opened the drums and found approximately 26 kilos of heroin, 80 kilos of amphetamine, 147 kilos of cannabis, over 40,000 tablets and 517 grams of MDMA (ecstasy). 

Haynes and the haulage company's owner, Dean Castle, were arrested. Officers raided Castle's home and found evidence of similar importations and both men were charged. Both Haynes and Castle pleaded not guilty and were found guilty at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday (April 27) and were sentenced today (May 1).

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

"The sentences handed down today should act as a warning to those who attempt to smuggle illegal drugs into this country.

"The message is clear – if you are involved in drug smuggling we will catch you and you will go to jail for a long time."