Smuggler facing long prison term over drugs

A DRUG smuggler has admitted importing 78 kilos of cannabis into the city's port.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Aug 2017, 07:00 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 11:47 BST

Camara Menendez, 55, was caught using a specially-adapted lorry to smuggle the skunk cannabis, a class B drug.

Border Force previously said the drugs found on July 10 were worth £624,000.

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Portsmouth Crown Court heard Menendez, from Spain, had travelled through the port in the lorry seven times.

He was paid 5,000 Euros to courier the drugs on the day.

Menendez, of Malaga, admitted the fraudulent importation after travelling to England from Bilbao.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said: ‘The defendant in his interview admitted knowing the drugs were there.

‘He said he had been paid 5,000 Euros for the trip.’

He will be sentenced on September 15 at the same court and was remanded.

Andy Lumb, from Border Force South, said: ‘By stopping this attempt, Border Force has prevented a large amount of illegal drugs from reaching the UK’s streets.’