Drivers jailed for drugs
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• Two Es:_s-ex drivers have been jailed for their part in smuggling cannabis with a street value of Robert Diss, of Kingsdown Walk, Canvey Island, was sentenced to 11 years and told by Recorder Martin Joy he was a professional driver whose job gave him the chance to commit the offence. Terence Butcher, 61, was jailed for eight years.
Joy said Butcher's presence had been concealed from the haulage company; he had helped with the driving, map reading and minding a valuable cargo. At Canterbury Crown Court both men denied smuggling 803kg of resin last November.
The court heard that Diss took a load to Lisbon for Polar Logistics of Kings Cross. In Portugal he was given instructions to go to northern Seville to collect a cargo of oranges.
Diss invited Butcher to go along with him to help with the driving, the prosecution said. At some stage the reefer travelled 154km without a tachograph chart—there was evidence that the temperature in the trailer had risen, indicating that the doors had been opened.
Customs officers followed the truck from Dover in the early hours to a lay-by at Canvey where they arrested the pair.
Diss said he didn't know he was to bring back oranges until told in Lisbon. He had no part in packing the oranges. During the journey home, there was trouble with the refrigeration unit, causing the temperature to rise.
During the journey Diss put a wire over the tachograph so it didn't record. Diss claimed he intended to take the load to King's Cross but was told to park in a lay-by somewhere and he would he contacted.