A lorry driver who attempted to smuggle more than £1 million worth of cocaine in his cabin has been jailed for six years.

Adam Grzelczak, 46, claimed he “succumbed” to a smuggler’s offer of €500 after suffering financial problems.

But a judge at Canterbury Crown Court voiced doubt over the low reward before jailing him.

Grzelczak’s lorry was stopped inbound at Dover’s Eastern Dock when customs seized £1.04m of cocaine in September.

The 12 1kg packages were found scattered underneath the driver’s seat and inside the lining of the bulkhead, prosecutors said.

Wholesale value totalled £480,000, prosecutor Paul Valder explained.

The professional driver of 25 years had previously been approached by smugglers but declined their offers, the court heard.

But he eventually “succumbed” in an “opportunistic” bid to help support his family, his lawyer said.

“In the circumstances he was approached while on a break,” Ruth Reed, mitigating, explained.

“He has outlined one of his children suffered a severe accident and one of his sons was due to get married.

“The pressure of the financial strain forced him to succumb to the offer on this occasion."

She added the father “didn’t know what was in the packages” and “was offered €500 for his actions”.

“Well I’m not sure I believe that,” Judge Rupert Lowe replied.

Handing down a six-year sentence on November 30, he added: “There is a very significant smuggling problem in the English Channel – smuggling of people, drugs, money and guns.

“And there is therefore a very lively black market in smuggling which this court has to deal with on a regular basis."

Grzelczak, a Polish national of previous good character, was supported by his wife, sister and daughter in the public gallery, who flew from Poland for the hearing.

He pleaded guilty to being involved in the importation of a controlled drug at the earliest opportunity.

'International organised crime groups need smugglers like Grzelczak to act as couriers, but he will now spend several years behind bars for his actions.'

National Crime Agency branch commander Mark Howes said: "Cocaine fuels gang crime, exploitation and violence on the UK’s streets.

"International organised crime groups need smugglers like Grzelczak to act as couriers, but he will now spend several years behind bars for his actions.

"We continue to work with law enforcement partners like Border Force to prevent class A drugs from reaching the UK, and disrupt the criminal networks behind this evil trade."