A MAN who smuggled millions of cigarettes from China to Bacup has told a court he has no assets.

Craig Waterhouse, 47, of Hammond Avenue, Stacksteads, was jailed for 30 months last year for his part in the operation.

During a Proceeds of Crime hearing at Preston Crown Court, where he has been accused of evading £673,000 in duty, he insisted he only paid 30,000 Euros for the cigarettes.

He also claimed there were two million and not four million cigarettes on board a container, along with flip flops and trainers.

The prosecution have submitted that the actual benefit to the defendant was £800,000 – when the purchase price of the goods is included.

It also suggested there was evidence of two bank accounts – one in Spain and one in China – but Waterhouse said he was ‘frustrated’ at a lack of success in obtaining bank statements about his accounts.

Waterhouse told Judge Simon Newell that he had no assets, did not own any property and had applied for benefits.

A judgement is due on Monday.