British pensioner arrested on suspicion of smuggling 60kg of cannabis resin from Spain

Spanish police say they found more than 60kg of cannabis hidden in a secret compartment fixed to the roof of car

The packages of cannabis were branded with names including ‘dream gelato’ and ‘cereal milk’ (Guardia Civil)

A British pensioner has been arrested trying to smuggle more than 60kg of cannabis resin from Spain.

Police detained the 69-year-old unnamed Briton after discovering the drugs in a “hidden” compartment built into the roof of a UK-registered vehicle at Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave, on Sunday evening.

The Civil Guard said the car was bound for the port of Algeciras, near Gibraltar.

Photos released by the authorities showed dozens of packages containing 62.3kg of cannabis. The packages were branded with names including "dream gelato" and "cereal milk".

Police say they discovered more than 60kg of cannabis (Guardia Civil)

Authorities searched the vehicle after a sniffer dog helping with routine checks grew visibly agitated near the car, prompting a more extensive search.

The suspect has been taken into custody. He will later be brought to court under an alleged drug trafficking offence.

Police detained the 69-year-old Brit after discovering the drugs in a ‘hidden’ compartment built into the roof of his car (Guardia Civil)

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Ceuta said: “A total of 62.3 kilos of cannabis resin was discovered in a secret compartment in the roof of the vehicle.

“The driver, a British man born in 1956 who was registered as a UK resident, was subsequently arrested.

“The suspect will now go before a court in Ceuta as the suspected author of a crime of drug trafficking.

“The drugs have been seized and handed over to a central government delegation and the vehicle is now under the supervision of the courts.”