Pedro Re Masegosa, 42, was undergoing routine checks at Portsmouth Continental Ferry Terminal on the evening of February 8 this year when a customs officer noticed he smelt of alcohol, a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court has been told.

The court heard police officers were called to test him for drink-driving, in the course of which 1,759kg of cannabis resin was found to be hidden in his trailer.

At Portsmouth Crown Court Masegosa pleaded not guilty to smuggling charges.

Tim Moores, prosecuting, told the jury that Masegosa had attempted to smuggle the drugs with a street value of about £5m into the UK using a fake identity, Eugenio Crispin Dominguez Mata.

Mr Moores said: 'He knew perfectly well he had the drugs in his lorry.'

When Masegosa was searched, a different set of identification papers to those he had given the customs officers were found, said Mr Moores.

The court heard that police contacted customs officers at the port to let them know of the deception, and they then began a thorough search of the lorry. They found the cannabis hidden under peppers.

Further searches showed the vehicle's number plates had been changed, said Mr Moores, adding: 'On June 18, 2004, this defendant, in the same lorry, but with his genuine identification and registration plates and details arrived at an industrial estate at Thatcham in Berkshire, which was under observation by Thames Valley Police.'

He described how police intervened as it was being unloaded and discovered 28 packages of cocaine – hidden under peppers. On that occasion Masegosa was not charged.

PC James Heath, at the time with Cosham Roads Policing Unit, told how he had been called to the port at about 11pm on February 8. He said: 'His eyes were glazed, but I couldn't tell if his speech was slurred.'

Masegosa failed a first roadside breath test, registering 55mg of alcohol to 100ml of breath, above the 35mg legal limit.

He was arrested and taken to Portsmouth Central Police Station, where a second test registered 63mg.

(Proceeding)