Two men have been jailed after their plot to smuggle £600,000 worth of drugs into Sussex was foiled by Customs officers.

George Murray and his friend Alexander Goddard were spotted bringing the cannabis ashore at Seaford using a small boat.

Yesterday, Murray, 35, was jailed for eight years at Lewes Crown Court. Goddard was jailed for three years.

During a five-day trial the court heard how the arrest of the two men on April 17 followed a major surveillance operation by Customs officers.

Earlier that night, officers had followed Goddard and two other men as they emerged from Murray's home in Lennox Street, Brighton, and made their way to Seaford.

At the beach, the officers waited during the night as vehicles came and went and lights flashed out at sea.

At about 3am, they heard a boat make its way to the shoreline.

The officers were later involved in a high-speed pursuit of a white Transit van and a Ford Fiesta, which ended in the Denton area of Newhaven.

Murray was found behind the wheel of the Fiesta. Goddard was driving the van, in which 250kg of cannabis resin and herbal cannabis were found.

Murray, a former refuse collector, immediately told the officers an incredible story about how he had been forced into smuggling in order to protect his son who had been threatened by someone to whom he owed money.

But the jury rejected Murray's lies and unanimously convicted him. Goddard, 29, of Conbar Avenue, Rustington, was convicted by a majority of ten to two.

Judge David Rennie told Murray: "You have been convicted on the clearest evidence. Those who deal in drugs lend themselves to a filthy trade which ruins young lives.

"I am quite sure you have been lying about the alleged threats and I am sentencing you on the basis the threats did not exist."

Murray had told an elaborate story of how he had planned to start a new life in Honduras running a diving school.

He borrowed £25,000 from a Dutch businessman but the deal ran into legal problems and he could not repay the debt.

Murray said the man, whom he would not name, thought he was trying to cheat him and told him he must repay the money or take a boat to England. If Murray did not agree, his son would be kidnapped.

He said: "They said they would take my son until I did as I was told. I felt I had no choice."

He said he set off on an eight-hour 250-mile long journey from Belgium to the Sussex coast with 16 bags on board the boat. He said he had no idea what was in the bags.

Murray told the court his friend Goddard agreed to help after he broke down in tears when he told him his son had been threatened.

He said: "Alex was doing me a favour and I don't think he had the faintest idea what he was getting himself into."

Roger Booth, prosecuting, said even if Murray's story was true, he had no end of opportunities to avoid taking part, including paying the debt or contacting the police.

After the case, Customs spokesman Bob Gaiger said: "We are delighted with the success of this major operation in Sussex, which involved a large amount of surveillance work."