After two members of the distribution network were arrested in May and July of 2023, officers said they “observed a change in tactics”, with pick-ups instead taking place at motorway service stations and consignments of chocolate spread and frozen fish mince used to hide the drugs.
One defendant, Craig Goulding, who was jailed for 25 years in May, was paid “thousands” to dispose of the waste food from the operation, police said.
Many of those sentenced in May and this week were arrested in December 2023 and have been convicted in a series of linked trials.
Reporting restrictions had been put in place by the judge to avoid prejudicing the trials, but have since been lifted.
Daly said tackling “sophisticated” gangs such as this was a constant challenge.
“To a certain extent we take out one and another will try and repopulate,” he explained.
“It’s something we are continually looking at. We are continually looking to try and tackle serious and organised crime.”
To date, all those sentenced for their involvement in the conspiracy have been jailed for a total of 196 years.
