A FAMILY of four has been jailed for a total of 11 months after being caught smuggling more than 130,000 cigarettes into Britain.

John and Jennifer Robinson, of Acre Rigg Road, Peterlee, County Durham, their son Craig Alexander Robinson, of Franklyn Road, Peterlee, and Mr Robinson's brother David, of Edenhill Road, also Peterlee, were stopped by customs officers at Cardiff International Airport last November.

They had arrived back from Arrecife in the Canary Islands after setting off earlier the same day, and were found to be carrying 70,000 cigarettes between them.

The family, all of whom are unemployed, had previously been caught smuggling.

Craig, 19, had been caught twice at Gatwick Airport with almost 37,000 cigarettes, and his uncle had been stopped at Birmingham Airport for smuggling 24,000 cigarettes.

All four family members received prison sentences at Barry Magistrates' Court, in Wales, on Tuesday.

Claire Morgans, of HM Customs and Excise, said: "The sentences show that smuggling tobacco is viewed as a serious crime, and merits serious punishment. In fact, smugglers can face up to seven years in jail.

"This type of smuggling is quite common. People fly out from one regional airport in the UK, spend a day or two, or even just a few hours at their destination stocking up on thousands of cigarettes, then fly back to a different UK regional airport."