A smuggler who was arrested attempting to sneak 160kg of cannabis through Manchester Airport is to spend more than three years in prison.

Fernando Jacobo Mayans Fuster, from Zaragoza, Spain, arrived at the airport on May 1 after a flight from Los Angeles via London Heathrow.

According to the National Crime Agency (NCA) he was arrested attempting to sneak 160kg of cannabis in several suitcases, three of which were in the names of his three children, who were travelling with him. The children are now in the care of relatives, the NCA said.

(Image: NCA)

Mayans Fuster said he had been in the United States for 10 days and he had been given the suitcases by a friend, saying "I am in a lot of trouble".

He admitted the importation of Class B drugs at magistrates' court and he was sentenced to 40 months in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last week.

The UK street value of these Class B drugs was around £4.8 million.

(Image: NCA)

Charles Lee, the NCA's Acting Branch Commander, said: "This was a significant amount of cannabis, one of the largest seizures of its kind at Manchester Airport.

"It was all the more shocking due to the fact that Mayans Fuster was prepared to bring these illegal drugs into the UK in suitcases bearing the names of his children."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.