CHARGES have been dropped against a Blackburn man accused of smuggling into the country almost £1million of cannabis.

Customs and Excise bosses withdrew the case against David Green almost six months after he was arrested and charged with importing illegal drugs.

Mr Green, 34, was stopped by Customs and Excise officials as he left a ferry from Calais in a van and tried to pass through the eastern docks in Dover in Kent last August.

Customs said they recovered cannabis weighing around 298kg, an amount which would fetch a street value of £900,000.

Mr Green, of Stonehill Drive, off Brownhill Drive, Blackburn, was charged with importation of illegal drugs on August 3 and could have faced up to 14 years in jail if convicted.

The move to drop the case came at Canterbury Crown Court where Mr Green was due to stand trial.

Prosecutors told the judge there was not enough evidence to carry on and he ordered the case be discontinued.