Seven jailed over cocaine smuggled in Gouda cheese shipments to Dover
Three members of a cocaine smuggling network were jailed at Leeds Crown Court, after four others were convicted earlier in the week. The case reveals how the gang used Gouda cheese shipments to bring large quantities of cocaine through Dover and distribute them across northern England.
Police say more than 4.5 tonnes, worth over £450 million at street prices, were seized, although their assessment puts the total quantity processed at between 4 and 14 tonnes, worth £400 million to £1.4 billion. The investigation began with a £2 million drugs seizure in Leeds in 2023 and uncovered cheese freight routed through Derby to premises in West Yorkshire and Lancashire; 22 people have so far been convicted.
In short
- Cocaine was hidden inside Gouda wheels shipped through Dover.
- More than 4.5 tonnes were seized, worth over £450 million.
- 22 people have so far been convicted in the case.
Explained simply
Dover is one of the UK’s main ports for freight arriving from mainland Europe, and routine food shipments can provide cover for illegal goods. Gouda is a Dutch cheese, while northern England includes the areas where the shipments in this case were taken for further handling.
Cocaine is an illegal drug, and smuggling networks may use several people and locations to move it from import to distribution. The case began with a seizure in Leeds and led investigators to shipments routed through Derby to premises in West Yorkshire and Lancashire. The scale of the alleged operation matters because it involved large quantities of drugs and many people convicted.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Drugs gang who smuggled £450million worth of cocaine hidden in wheels of Gouda cheese to Dover are jailed”.