Grimsby dockworker caught with £180,000 of cocaine jailed

A dockworker who was caught with cocaine with an estimated street value of nearly £180,000 has been jailed for six years and nine months.

Ben Whitby, 30, from Grimsby, was found with about 2.25kg of the drug in a black rucksack in his BMW and £3,000 in cash in the glove box, police said.

The tug driver was stopped by officers as he left work at Killingholme Port on 18 February, Grimsby Crown Court heard.

He was under surveillance by the National Crime Agency at the time.

When officers searched his home they recovered £20,000 cash, plus several expensive watches.

Whitby, of Walk Lane, Humberston, admitted possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply and acquiring criminal property, at a court hearing last month.

Speaking after sentencing on Tuesday, National Crime Agency branch commander Mark Spoors said the port worker had used his position "to engage in criminality for his own personal gain".

"Organised crime groups rely on people like him to bring their illicit commodities into the UK; indeed we know they actively look to recruit workers at ports and airports because of the access they have."

Ch Sup Christine Wilson, of Humberside Police, said: "Following information supplied to us by the National Crime Agency, we were able to stop Ben Whitby in his tracks and disrupt the criminal activity he was involved with."

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