A LORRY driver accused of smuggling £6 million worth of cocaine into the country wet himself when stopped by the police, a court heard.

Kryzstof Bakowski, 63, accepted a £100 payment in Holland to bring five boxes in to the UK via Harwich International Port.

Daniel O’Malley, defending at Ipswich Crown Court, said Bakowski believed the cargo contained pigment for paint.

He said his client does not deny bringing the boxes into the country, nor handing them over to Neranjan Persaud in Colchester, but he does deny knowing they contained cocaine.

Gazette: Police action - a lorry involved in the incident is prepared to be towedPolice action - a lorry involved in the incident is prepared to be towed (Image: Newsquest)

It is alleged police saw Persaud, 60, park his car in Newcomen Way, in Severalls Industrial Estate, at about 8am on December 7 last year.

A jury was told Persaud, from London, approached Bakowski, who was the driver of an articulated lorry which had stopped nearby, and carried five identical cardboard boxes to his car.

Police officers then intervened and arrested the duo.

The court heard the boxes of drugs contained 50 one kilo packages of high-purity cocaine with a street value of between £4 and £6 million.

Gazette: Incident - police attending the scene in Newcomen WayIncident - police attending the scene in Newcomen Way (Image: Newsquest)

Mr O’Malley said: “One word here is in dispute and the one word is knowingly.

“Mr Bakowski is saying ‘I did all of these things but I didn’t know the boxes contained cocaine when I brought them in from Holland.'

“He has never been in trouble with the police in this country or any other country.

“How likely is it that a 60-year-old man of good character would bring in 50kg of cocaine for £100?

Gazette: Action - the lorry allegedly involved in the case is towedAction - the lorry allegedly involved in the case is towed (Image: Newsquest)

“When he was grabbed from behind quite forcefully [by the police] he weed himself. That’s not a sign of guilt, that’s a sign of fear.”

Giving evidence during the trial on Thursday, Persaud claimed threats had been made against him and his family by the gang behind the importation.

Persaud and Bakowski, of no fixed address, both deny being knowingly involved in the illegal importation of cocaine.

They have also both denied being concerned in the supply of 50kg of cocaine and Persaud has denied being concerned in the supply of just under one kilo of cocaine on November 30 last year.

  • The trial continues