Leong Paul, 56, from Newport, south Wales, picked up the drugs from a service stop near Antwerp in Belgium

Leong Paul, 56, from Newport, south Wales, picked up the drugs from a service stop near Antwerp in Belgium, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said. He then attempted to smuggle them into the UK through Dover, Kent, hidden in his vehicle, but the haul was found. He denied smuggling but was found guilty at Canterbury Crown Court.
HMRC said it began an investigation after staff discovered the drugs stash as Paul returned from a trip to Gottingen, Germany, in April 2007 . Paul denied any knowledge of the drugs but evidence was collected, including a mobile phone and doctored vehicle tachograph records. After being found guilty by a jury, Judge Adele Williams told Paul that he had attempted to smuggle a drug capable of causing serious harm, and on rare occasions even death. Paul's only consideration was self enrichment by flooding the UK's streets with over 165 kilos of ecstasy tablets Malcolm Bragg, assistant director of criminal investigation at HMRC, said it was only through a "detailed and professional investigation" that Paul's claims that he was unaware of the drugs was proved false. "Paul's only consideration was self-enrichment by flooding the UK's streets with over 165 kilos of ecstasy tablets," he added. According to HMRC, the court was told that Paul was alone in the lorry when it was intercepted at Dover Eastern Docks early on 14 April, 2007.
A search of the vehicle revealed 11 boxes at the front of the trailer containing the ecstasy tablets and he was arrested.
During interview Paul denied the smuggling attempt. He claimed to have made a direct run from his drop off in Germany, and had not met anyone on the way home. However, analysis of the vehicle tachograph showed that 75km of his return journey had not been recorded, corresponding to investigations which suggested that he had indeed stopped at the Antwerp services.