A 21-year-old former Shropshire man has been jailed for two years for trying to smuggle cannabis worth more than £38,000 into the UK though Belfast International Airport.

Philip Stuart Page, originally from Shrewsbury, but who had been living in Spain, was arrested by HM Revenue and Customs officers in August 2007.

A search of his baggage after he flew into Belfast International from Alicante revealed 29.6lb (13.42kg) of cannabis resin with a street value of £38,678.

He was jailed at Antrim Crown Court yesterday for knowingly being concerned with the illegal importation of class C drugs.

John Whiting, assistant director of criminal investigation at HMRC, said: “This seizure and subsequent sentencing proves that HMRC, working with the newly formed UK Border Agency, continues to be alert to the threat of drugs entering the UK via regional airports.

“We aim to protect society from the violence and corruption that always accompanies the trade in illegal drugs.

“Drugs devastate communities and we will continue to fight this threat.”

Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to drug smuggling should contact them, he said.

Jennie Kendall, spokeswoman for the Central England region of HMRC, said it was previously believed that Page was a Spanish national, but that was later found to be wrong.

She said: “It is now believed he lived in Shrewsbury many years ago.”