Polish drug smuggler is jailed for eight years for trying to sneak £8m of cocaine into UK in lorry delivering toy bricks
- Marek Wisniewski, 45, admitted trying to import 80 kilos of Class A drugs
- National Crime Agency investigated after Border Force officers found cocaine
- Wisniewski was sentenced to eight years in jail and forfeited his phone and van
A Polish drug smuggler has been jailed for eight years after trying to sneak £8million of cocaine into the UK in a lorry delivering toy bricks.
Marek Wisniewski, 45, admitted trying to import 80 kilos (176lbs) of Class A drugs with a potential street value of £8.1million, a judge at Canterbury Crown Court heard.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched an investigation after Border Force officers stopped him attempting to pass through Dover’s Eastern Docks on May 29.
Marek Wisniewski (pictured), 45, admitted trying to import 80 kilos (176lbs) of Class A drugs with a potential street value of £8.1million, a judge at Canterbury Crown Court heard
A search of the vehicle revealed blocks of cocaine stuffed in holdall bags hidden behind pallets.
They were among boxes of toy bricks destined for a company address in Cambridgeshire.
Wisniewski, from the industrial city of Bytom, started his journey from southern Poland. When interviewed, he claimed he had no idea how the drugs got there.
NCA Dover Branch Commander Martin Grace said: ‘Serious and organised crime networks rely on people like Wisniewski to carry out the leg work. Now he will have to face the consequences.
‘The profit that can be made from drugs mean criminals will try almost anything to smuggle their product into the country and evade detection.
A search of the vehicle revealed blocks of cocaine (pictured) stuffed in holdall bags hidden behind pallets. They were among boxes of toy bricks destined for a company address in Cambridgeshire
Wisniewski, from the industrial city of Bytom, started his journey from southern Poland. When interviewed, he claimed he had no idea how the drugs (pictured inside bags) got there
‘Working with partners like Border Force, we have been able to stop this cocaine reaching the streets of the UK and caused disruption to the group behind it.’
Wisniewski was also ordered to forfeit the drugs, phones and van.
David Smith, Border Force regional director, said: ‘Illegal drugs have a significant impact on our society, being the root cause behind countless burglaries, thefts and robberies.
‘They are also used as a commodity by organised criminals linked to violence and exploitation of the vulnerable.
‘Border Force will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the NCA to bring offenders like Wisnieskwi to justice and to disrupt the workings of organised criminal groups in the UK.’